The Tutor
by ItzMegan73
Summary: New student Bella Swan needs to break out of her shy exterior and her guidance counselor has the answer: tutoring. And Bella is too new to know she shouldn’t want to tutor Edward Cullen.
1. Chapter 1

**The Tutor**

**Chapter 1 – Assigned Seating**

Rosalie Hale took a long drag of her cigarette as she looked out over the student parking lot of Forks High School. She hated mornings when she arrived earlier than her friends. It meant that she stood on the outskirts of the campus doing what she considered losers to do: stand around alone.

Finally she saw the perfectly styled coif of her friend, Alice, come into view. Alice was bedecked in a Forks High School cheerleader's uniform. Immediately a grin came to Rosalie's face.

"That's right! It's Thursday. I get to make fun of you all day for wearing that ridiculous get-up!" Rosalie taunted her friend.

"Say what you must," Alice feigned irritation, "but it's a small price to pay for my baby over there." Alice pointed her key alarm towards a flamboyant yellow Porsche that she'd parked across two parking spaces.

Alice's parents were high society seekers. Though her father was an attorney and her mother an interior designer, they amassed more debt than the income they accumulated in an attempt to appear financially successful. As long as Alice played a part in their perfectly crafted façade, they showered her with whatever she wanted. So while their daughter placated them as a cheerleader and honor student to have her needs met, Alice lived on the wild side with her friends – preferring to be labeled an outcast, just like them.

"I don't think your skirt is short enough," Rosalie continued to poke fun at Alice.

"I said the same thing this morning," Alice said as she pulled her skirt a little higher while reaching for Rosalie's cigarette. She wasn't about to succumb to her friend's ribbing.

Now that Rosalie was no longer alone, she felt comfortable enough to engage in her second favorite pastime: giving the underclassmen hell.

"Hey!" She called out to an unsuspecting freshman. "Did I say you could look at me? Get outta here!"

The small girl scuttled away quickly.

Alice couldn't help but laugh. "One of these days someone is going to say something back to you," she said.

"And I'll beat their ass," Rosalie said with an affirmative nod.

Soon Rosalie grew tired of her antics, and began her absolute, first-of-all, favorite activity: scouring the campus for Edward Cullen.

"Have you talked to Jasper? Are he and Edward coming to school today?" Rosalie tried to conceal her motive.

Alice didn't appear to be fooled. "I talked to Jasper last night before he and Edward went out. I think they were out pretty late. I'd be surprised if they showed up for first period." She eyed Rosalie carefully as she spoke. "He said Edward was meeting someone there."

Rosalie's eyes snapped toward Alice at the utterance of her friend's words. However, she quickly realized how she appeared and moved to amend her action immediately. "Oh, yeah. I forgot he said something about that. Where'd they go again?"

"Some club," Alice shrugged. Her body language communicated that she was extremely bored with the conversation.

"Why was Edward meeting up with someone?" Rosalie asked as she picked at her fingernail.

"Rosalie," Alice stated pointedly. "Don't."

"Don't what?"

"You know what." Alice hinted.

When Rosalie's face continued to display an expression that communicated that she did, in fact, _not_ know what Alice was insinuating, Alice spoke blatantly.

"Don't ask questions that you don't what the answers to." She said.

"What are you talking about?" Rosalie huffed. "I was just making conversation. I don't really care what Edward does."

"Oh," Alice played along. "My mistake."

**XXXXXXXXX**

The path to the girls' first class was a quiet one. Alice silently reprimanded herself for speaking so freely to Rosalie. Though Rosalie put on a pretense of having a rough exterior, Alice knew that when it came to Edward Cullen, she wore her feelings on her sleeve.

Rosalie's infatuation with Edward began their freshman year, as soon as Edward transferred to Forks High. Early on, Edward immediately fell into the role of a rebellious, calloused-yet-charismatic teenager. Rosalie was drawn to him immediately and they became fast friends – but that's all. Edward made it clear early on that he was not romantically interested in Rosalie. It was a decision Rosalie had made her life's mission to change.

Knowing this, Alice made a mental note not to get wrapped up in another discussion about Edward with Rosalie…at least not today.

"What the hell?" Rosalie stopped abruptly as she and Alice entered their classroom.

Alice followed Rosalie's glare and saw that a girl was sitting in the seat in the far back corner of the classroom. It was the seat that Rosalie usually occupied. Alice had never seen the girl before and deduced that the girl must be a new student. Otherwise she would have known not to sit in Rosalie's desk.

Alice watched with a modicum of amusement as Rosalie marched over to the new student and leaned down close to her.

"Get out of my seat!" she yelled.

The girl jumped out of the chair, literally, and knocked her books over in the process.

"Miss Hale!" the teacher, Mrs. Kenner, called out. "There is no assigned seating in this class. Sit somewhere else!"

Rosalie shot a vicious stare over to the brown-haired, brown-eyed girl who now appeared to be hovering between the seat in question and a desk towards the front of the class. Unfortunately, she chose to once again sit in the desk she had been sitting in – Rosalie's desk.

Alice shook her head. "Big mistake," she whispered to no one in particular.

After Alice and Rosalie situated themselves on the other side of the classroom, Mrs. Kenner took roll and then clasped her hands together in excitement.

"Class we have a new student," she began. "Isabella Swan." She pointed to the girl who had just stolen Rosalie Hale's seat. "Isabella, why don't you tell the class something about yourself."

The sound of necks craning and eyes straining was heard at the entire class turned to get a better look at the new girl.

"Um…it's just Bella," the new girl corrected.

Mrs. Kenner nodded and waited for Bella to elaborate on her self-description. When Bella continued to remain silent, Mrs. Kenner prompted her. "I understand you come to us from a far off country."

"Well, my father was in the Navy. We moved here from Italy." Bella stated nonchalantly.

"Wow, Italy. I've always wanted to go there," Mrs. Kenner remarked with a glimmer in her eye.

When it became apparent that Bella wasn't going to offer any more information without a definite effort on the teacher's part, Mrs. Kenner mumbled a quick 'welcome' before delving in to that day's lesson.

Bella sighed in relief and sunk down in her chair as if attempting to disappear for her classmates' sight.

**XXXXXXXX**

Bella managed to escape her first class without any additional fanfare. Strategically, she waited until Rosalie and Alice were out of sight before she dared exit, just in case Rosalie had plans to "educate" her on seating charts.

With a heavy exhale and a cursory glance down at her class schedule, Bella began her trek across the school campus. The inconsistent milling of the student-body that surrounded her caused her confusion. Some of them were lounging atop tables and talking to one another, others were hastily rummaging through lockers, and a few traipsed towards classrooms. It was as if everyone was on their own time schedule.

"It's called blocking."

Bella spun around to see a tall slender girl with glass looking down at her.

"Hi, Bella. I'm Angela Webber. I'm in your history class." Angela introduced. "I didn't mean to scare you. You just looked lost."

Bella let out a soft chuckle. "I am. What's blocking?"

"It's the way classes are scheduled here. Some people have a free period now. It kind of looks confusing if you don't know what's going on. What class do you have now?"

Bella looked down at her schedule, even though she knew the answer by heart. "English Literature. What about you?"

"I have French, but it's in the same corridor. Come on, I'll walk with you."

As Bella and Angela walked, they passed through a quad of picnic tables occupied by students. Bella kept her head down. She didn't want to see how many people noticed how out of place she was.

She was just about to pass up the last table nearest her classroom when someone shouted very close to her ear.

"Hey!"

The tone wasn't nice, and Bella knew as soon as she'd heard it that it wasn't a student on the welcoming committee coming to say hello. Startled, Belle looked over into the menacing eyes of Rosalie Hale.

Rosalie gave Bella a sinister smile before blowing her a kiss and then flipping her off. Bella noticed that the other people at the table with Rosalie laughed at her gesture.

"C'mon," Angela verbally steered Bella away from the brouhaha, "don't pay them any attention."

"What's that girl's problem, anyway?" Bella didn't bother hiding her annoyance.

"That's just Rosalie. She's one of the most miserable people you could ever meet – and you know what they say about misery…"

"Yeah, it loves company," Bella completed the proverb.

"Do your best to stay away from her. She has no conscience." Angela warned.

Bella shuddered at the description. _What did a person have to do to earn a reputation of not having a conscience?_

Angela gave Bella a quick wave as she deposited Bella at the door of her next class. Bella was happy to see that the class was nearly empty, but she figured she'd rather not have a repeat of what happened in her previous class. Quietly, she approached her teacher, a young, attractive woman who looked like she could have been a student. The placard on her desk said 'Miss Teale'.

"Excuse me, this is my first day here and I was wondering if there was assigned seating in this class." Bella asked.

"You must be Isabella Swan…or do you prefer Bella?" the teacher asked with a smile.

Bella immediately relaxed. "Yes, thank you."

"I had the pleasure of looking over your transcripts. I think you'll do very well in this class. It's probably close to the course you took at your last school, although we can't offer you college credit." Miss Teale stated.

"That's okay," Bella said as she looked at the class that was beginning to fill up with students. "Should I just sit anywhere, or…"

"Actually we do have assigned seating in this class, since we sit at tables. I have to keep the chatty students away from one another, " Miss Teale smiled. "The only seat I had left was at the table at the far corner of the room, sorry. Will you be okay sitting in the back of the class?"

Bella nodded quickly. "Sure, no problem." This was shaping up to be her favorite class.

The student who sits next to you is rarely here, so if you start to feel isolated by there, let me know and we'll work something out."

"I'm sure I'll be fine," Bella said as she headed back to the table Miss Teale had pointed to. People had started to notice her and she wanted to sit down before Miss Teale asked her to stand in front of the class and introduce herself.

A book of sonnets snaked its way from the front of the class towards Bella and landed on her desk. She picked up the well-worn copy and thumbed through it before settling on the page the teacher had written on the board. When a student began reading, Bella settled down to lose herself in the words.

About a half an hour into the class, the door opened and a young man sauntered inside. He barely looked in Miss Teale's direction before walking towards Bella.

Bella swallowed hard as she noticed him glance at her. It took her a few seconds to realize that he wasn't heading for _her_, but for the empty seat next to her. He did look irritated to see her sitting there.

"Let me go out on a limb and ask if you have an excuse from the office for your tardiness, Edward." Miss Teale's voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"Nope," Edward quipped. He pulled out his chair with as much grace as an elephant at the symphony and plopped down.

The aroma of cigarettes and cinnamon chewing gum assaulted Bella's senses whenever Edward moved even the slightest bit. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and saw that he was looking her up and down.

"We're on page 267, " Bella held her book out to him.

"So?" he asked, his eyebrow raised in question.

Bella recoiled against his harshness and pulled her hand back. She resituated herself so that her hair formed a curtain for her to hide behind. Maybe no one would notice the humiliation-stained glow of her now crimson cheeks and ears.

"Edward, I'd like you to stay after class," Miss Teale said before asking a student to continue reading.

The day was still young and yet Bella had already learned a very valuable lesson: she was definitely no good at seating charts – assigned or unassigned.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Tutor**

**Chapter 2 – The Need for Education**

Esme Cullen looked demure and pristine as she walked into the Guidance Counselor's office at Fork's High School.

"Mrs. Cullen. I have an appointment with Mr. Leary at 2:15." She spoke kindly to the secretary.

"Yes. Please have a seat Mrs. Cullen and Mr. Leary will be with you momentarily," the secretary, Mrs. Cope, stated sweetly. She appeared to be impressed by Mrs. Cullen's impeccable clothing and hairstyle.

Before Esme could take a seat in the hard plastic blue chairs, Mr. Leary emerged from his office and greeted her.

"Mrs. Cullen. Please, this way," he directed her back to his office. He made sure to open the small shade covering his window before closing his door. "Please have a seat," he added when he noticed Mrs. Cullen was waiting for him to offer.

"Thank you," she said quietly before sitting down.

Both Esme and Mr. Leary looked upon each other quietly, both silently deciding if they were going to pretend the other didn't know why they were having this meeting in the first place. Finally, Esme spoke, cutting to the chase.

"How poorly is Edward doing in school, Mr. Leary?" she asked.

"If he doesn't straighten up today – and I mean today – he will not pass his junior year and he probably won't graduate high school." Mr. Leary spoke bluntly.

"How is his attendance?" Esme asked. She knew that even though he left for school everyday, he didn't always arrive.

"Scant. When he's here, he's late. Giving him his free period first thing in the morning was the best we could do. He has to make an effort, too."

"Should he be in this meeting with us?"

"I considered that, but you and I both know that all Edward is going to do is argue: _the teacher accidentally marked him absent; he was only a few minutes late because he had to go to the bathroom; he turned in his homework but the teacher lost it…_" Mr. Leary ticked off Edward's common excuses.

"I know. His father and I are at a loss as to what to do with him. And frankly, " Esme looked embarrassed, "I don't think not graduating is enough of a deterrent for Edward. He simply doesn't care."

Mr. Leary gave Esme a soothing glance. "You don't think that's abnormal, do you?" he asked. "Mrs. Cullen, I'd wager to guess that more than half of the young people on this campus feel the same way. The only thing that gets them here everyday is the social element of high school. There's a girl or a guy they want to see, or some clothing they want to be seen in. That's about all it boils down to for many of these kids. That's what makes our roles, yours and mine, so important. We have to guide these kids, because left to their own defenses, they don't stand a chance."

Esme nodded, encouraged by Mr. Leary's words and more determined to set Edward straight. "So, what does he need to do to pass this year?"

"If he shows up, he'll make a vast improvement. However, he has a lot of work to do in his English Literature class. His teacher, Miss Teale, told me that he's unresponsive and disrespectful. Just today she told him she wanted to meet with him after class but as soon as the bell rang, he bolted out of class, ignoring her request. She wants him out of her class, but he has to have those credits to graduate."

"Is Miss Teale kicking him out? Can we change her mind?" Esme asked with concern.

"She can't kick him out, but she also doesn't have to spend her time catching him up. He's responsible for his own actions."

"How about a tutor of some sort?"

"That's what I was thinking. I'll have to speak to a few students, but if that doesn't work out, you may have to hire someone."

"Of course."

*******

School was nearly out for the day when Rosalie emerged from the restroom on the west side of the campus. Instead of return to her ever-boring art class, she lounged against the picnic table in the quad to wait for Alice. She was about to light a cigarette when she noticed two people heading in her direction. Without even squinting she could make out the form of Edward Cullen. She smiled without effort.

"Hey, Edward," she exhaled when he neared her. She gave a slight nod to his companion, Jessica Stanley. _Why were they together?_

"Hey. You seen Jasper?" Edward asked.

"He was in history but he ditched cooking." Rosalie said.

Edward shook his head. "I can't believe that idiot is taking cooking."

"Alice is in that class." Rosalie grinned. All three present exchanged an informed nod.

Jasper had been in love with Alice the moment he'd decided girls were his lifeline – sometime around the seventh grade. They'd briefly dated on and off during their freshman and sophomore year, but Alice broke it off each time. She didn't, however, discourage Jasper from following around after her like a lovesick puppy. In fact, she threw him a "bone" every now and then just to keep him interested. But when things looked like they were getting serious, Alice would distance herself and tell him she only wanted to be friends.

"Friends with benefits…It's a beautiful thing." Jessica smiled as she eyed Rosalie's unlit cigarette. "You got anymore of those?"

"In my locker. We can head over as soon as Alice gets over here."

As if hearing her name, Alice emerged from her last class and headed straight for her friends.

"Where's your lap dog?" Edward asked her, in reference to Jasper.

Alice rolled her eyes at him. "I'm not Jasper's keeper. I have no idea where he is."

Edward scoffed at her. He'd already seen the way she'd scanned the group herself, looking for Jasper. He wasn't fooled. This girl just liked having all the power. He'd have to have a little talk with Jasper later.

"I saw your mom in the office, though." Alice added.

"My mom?" Edward asked.

"Yeah. It was just a little while ago. I had to take a file in there. Did you get in trouble again?" Alice asked.

"Who knows?" Edward shrugged. He was nice for the tip-off as to his mother's office visit though. It gave him time to come up with an excuse for whatever he may have done to land her there. Probably that bitch Teale. "I have to go. Tell Jasper to call my phone if you see him."

"Bye, Edward." Rosalie called after him.

He lifted his arm in a slight wave but didn't turn around.

Rosalie watched him walk away and then turned to face her friends. "What am I, chopped liver? He spoke to everyone but me. Nice."

"That's just Edward. I don't know why you think he has any redeeming qualities. If he wants something he speaks. If he doesn't he's quiet." Alice commented. "Be glad he's not bumming anything off you this time."

"And what were you guys talking about?" Rosalie pointed her attention to Jessica.

"I was just trying to bum a cig…which reminds me…are we going to your locker or what?" Jessica asked with a grin.

"I'll meet up with you. I have to go find Lydia real quick to let her know I'm not going to be at cheerleading practice today. I have cramps really bad." Alice said.

"That's the third time this month." Rosalie reminded her.

"Really? Damn, I'll have to think of something else. Okay, see you guys in a little bit." Alice took off in the opposite direction.

"So you _still_ like Cullen?" Jessica asked as she and Rosalie made their way across the field to a bank of lockers. When Rosalie didn't answer, Jessica continued. "You know, you're going about trying to land him all wrong."

"What?" Rosalie asked in mock irritation. "I'm not trying to land him."

"Oh…well that's good. Because if you were, you're doing it wrong." Jessica's ponytail bobbed as she emphasized her point.

"Whatever." Rosalie rolled her eyes before handing Jessica a cigarette. "You owe me."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll bring you one tomorrow." Jessica bent down to remove a pebble from her shoe. "See ya."

"Hey, Jess," Rosalie called to her quietly.

"Yeah?"

"Let's say someone was trying to, as you put it, _land_ Cullen. What's the right way to go about doing that?"

A big grin spread across Jessica's face. "Come on. Walk me to my car and I'll tell you."

*******

"Bella, I'm sorry to call you in here at the end of the day like this," Mr. Leary began.

"It's okay," Bella slightly ducked her head. She wanted him to quickly get to the point. Had she done something wrong? Was she in trouble?

"I was looking over your transcripts, and I must say, I'm very impressed. Are you planning on going to college?" Mr. Leary continued.

Bella nodded quickly. "Yes. I'm not sure where, yet, though."

"If you tell me what you're interested in, I can get you some brochures to look through. It's time to start considering what the college you're interested in is looking for. Next year will be too late."

Again, Bella nodded. Did this guy really pull her in here to ask what college she wanted to go to?

"I must tell you, though, that every college wants to see extra-curricular activities…and I can see from your file that you've never engaged in any." Mr. Leary hinted.

"I'm not really into sports," Bella shook her head.

"There's more to extra-curricular activities than sports, Bella. In fact, academic endeavors outside of your course load are highly regarded."

Bella wondered why she felt like someone was trying to sell her something.

"If you're at all interested in enhancing your college applications, I happen to know just the thing." Mr. Leary baited her.

"What's that?" Bella was suspicious.

"Tutoring."

"Tutoring? As in kids? Helping other people with subjects?" Bella clarified.

"Yes. It shows confidence of scholarship, interpersonal skills and I think it would help you, too."

"Help me how?"

"Well you're knew here, Bella. It gives the other kids a vehicle to get to know you."

"So what, do I go into some sort of queue and whenever someone needs help with something they call me?"

"Well normally, it's something like that. However, I do know of a situation where your skills are particularly suited. We have a student in your grade that is struggling in English. Since it's a required course, he has to pass it. I think your previous scholastic achievement makes you perfect for this assignment."

It didn't go unnoticed by Bella that Mr. Leary had referred to a _"he"_ that needed assistance. However, since she didn't know any of the students by name, with the exception of Angela Webber and that dreadful Rosalie, Bella refrained from asking whom she'd be tutoring.

"Sure. I'll do it," she said unenthusiastically.

"Splendid!" Mr. Leary clasped his hands together. "I'll give your contact information to the family and they will be in contact with you shortly."

Bella have a slight smile as she stood to leave the office. She couldn't help feeling like she'd been suckered into purchasing a used car. She figured it was just nerves from stepping out of her comfort zone and starting something new. At least Charlie would be happy to hear she was doing something constructive with her time outside of school.

*******

When Edward finally spotted Jasper, he was in the parking lot leaning against his car talking to Alice. When Alice saw Edward approaching she moved towards her car and hollered loud enough for Edward to hear, "Oh yeah, Jasper, Edward was looking for you."

Edward rolled his eyes. "Where the hell have you been? You're my ride home, asswipe." Edward said to Jasper.

Jasper told Alice he'd call her later before unlocking his car and getting in. He didn't acknowledge Edward until the two of them were safely in his car with the windows up and the doors closed.

"Stop making me look like a pussy in front of Alice," Jasper exclaimed.

Edward turned and looked at him incredulously. "The fact that you're telling me that I make you look like a pussy, proves you're a pussy. Besides, Alice already knows you're whipped."

"I'm not whipped," Jasper argued.

"Yeah, that's why you follow her around and take that f-in' cooking class."

"Whatever."

"I'm serious, Jas. You need to man up in the Alice department or she's going to string you along forever."

"Says the man who isn't getting laid tonight," Jasper grinned. "That's right. She told me to call her."

Edward all but laughed in Jasper's face. "That's right, because you're her little bitch and you don't get anything unless she wants it. Should I remind you about last Friday when she shut your ass down for that other guy?"

"Nothing happened with him. They just talked."

"And you would know, because you probably let her tell you all about it while you braided each other's hair and painted your toenails."

"Look, Edward-"

"No, _you_ look," Edward cut off his friend. "I'm tired of watching her punk you, man. You need to show her who's boss. I'm telling you, you'll be much happier."

"I'm happy with things the way they are."

"If you liked things the way they are, you wouldn't be asking her to take you back all the time."

"Well, yeah, I want to get back together, but other than that…"

"Jas, you give her no reason to take you back. Why should she? You fuck her whenever she wants, you spend money on her like there's no tomorrow and when she snaps her fingers, you come running. Yet she's free to do anything and anybody she wants. Now tell me, why the hell would she change that?"

Jasper was silent for a moment. Then, when he turned towards Edward, his face reflected anger, bitterness and sadness.

"So, what do you suggest I do, oh wise one?" he sneered.

Edward grinned before putting on his sunglasses. "There's an entire science to this Jasper. You can't learn this in one day. Take me to Burger Boy. We'll discuss phase one over an afternoon snack. Your treat."

********

Esme Cullen scurried about the kitchen getting dinner ready for that evening's meal. Her six-year-old daughter, Madeline, played quietly at her feet.

"Maddie, honey, why don't you go tell Daddy that dinner is almost ready?" Esme concealed the need to get her daughter out of her way.

"Okay," Maddie agreed. She headed up the stairs quickly and Esme took the opportunity to sweep the small toys to the side with her foot.

It had been a long and trying day for Esme. She had spent the better part of her morning at the County Office of Vital Statistics securing Maddie's birth information for medical purposes. Since Maddie wasn't her biological child, every time she needed an expensive medical procedure, the insurance company pulled a stall tactic by requiring all documentation that secured the Cullen's guardianship.

As if that hadn't been tiring enough, Esme had spent the afternoon at Edward's school finding out that her son might not graduate high school. She couldn't say she was surprised, but she was disappointed. Edward was a bright boy, he just chose to use his brainpower elsewhere. There had to be a way to get through to him, though. Come hell or high water, Esme was determined not to let him fail.

Carlisle Cullen came down the stairs fast on Maddie's heels. Once at the bottom, he placed a kiss on the top of her head before going into the kitchen to find Esme.

"Edward isn't home yet?" he asked as he glanced at his watch.

"No. I called him twice but he didn't answer either time. I hope nothing's wrong," Esme looked worried.

Carlisle looked annoyed. Of course he knew that nothing had happened to delay Edward after school – that is, nothing in the form of an emergency. Edward was probably off lollygagging with his friends or worse. But certainly, nothing had happened _to_ him.

Against his better judgment, Carlisle had acquiesced to his wife and agreed to adopt Edward when he was fourteen years old. Carlisle knew that with Edward's background, it would be challenging, but he never could have prepared himself for how challenging. Carlisle had been expecting to deal with theft, violence, emotional instability…any of that would have been better than this manipulating, dishonest…for lack of a better word: sociopath.

Carlisle would never admit to not loving the child. In fact, it was something he put great effort towards, but Edward made it almost impossible. After three years of having Edward in the home, not much had changed. He still referred to his adoptive parents by their first name, despite their attempts to correct him. In fact, the only time he ever called Esme "Mom" was when he wanted something. Edward however, never referred to Carlisle as "Dad" and Carlisle never pushed the issue.

Just when Carlisle picked up the phone to call Edward for himself, the front door opened and in walked Edward, as if it were only moments after school had dismissed.

"Edward, where were you?" Esme asked as she approached him.

"What?" Edward shrugged in innocence. "I was with Jasper."

"And what are the rules?" Carlisle reminded him. "You're supposed to call if you're going to be late."

"Sorry. Phone died. I forgot to charge it last night," Edward said quickly as he peeked into the pot on the stove to see what was for dinner.

"Then you don't go out and you come home and tell us. You don't get to do whatever you want, Edward." Carlisle said sternly.

Esme looked at Carlisle in a worried fashion. Even though she didn't say anything with words, it was obvious that she thought her husband was being too harsh with Edward.

"Mom, you look beautiful today," Edward said.

Esme blushed and Carlisle rolled his eyes. Surely his wife wouldn't fall for this manipulation, would she?

"Edward, I'm sure you heard that I visited your school today," Esme said in return.

_Atta girl,_ Carlisle thought as he watched his wife.

"Oh really?" Edward said. "How come you didn't pick me up? I had to wait for Jasper to get a ride home."

"I left before your class ended. And apparently you can't afford to miss any of your classes."

Edward rolled his eyes. "I'm doing fine."

"Actually you aren't," Carlisle stepped in. "In fact, if you don't pull your grade up in English by the end of the semester, you're going to fail your junior year."

"Whatever," Edward sighed loudly as he made his way towards the dining room.

"No, not whatever." Carlisle followed him. "You're going to work with a tutor and bring up your grade."

"I'm not working with any tutor," Edward huffed.

"If you want to depend on your friends for all of your mobility needs, then so be it." Carlisle stated casually.

Edward froze. "Wait a minute," he stared at Carlisle, "are you saying that if I bring up my English grade you'll buy me a car?"

"No. I'm saying if you pass your junior year, I'll buy you a car. And since you'll need to bring up your English grade to pass your junior year…" Carlisle trailed off.

Esme looked shocked. Carlisle hadn't said anything to her about buying Edward a car, but she was happy to see that at least something motivated her son.

"I'm going to call the tutor and set something up tomorrow. Apparently she's a very bright girl in your class." Esme added.

"What? No!" Edward was no longer interested. "I don't want some girl in my class working with me like I'm some stupid retard –"

"Momma, Edward said stupid," Maddie tattled.

Esme patted her daughter's hand to soothe her before turning to Edward. "It's either this or Saturday school. Take your pick."

Edward looked defeated as he crumpled up his napkin. He thought about all the nerdy girls at his school and wondered which one he'd have to endure. Angela? Lauren? Rachelle?

"Who is it? What's her name?" he asked, letting both of his parents know that he was not going to school on Saturday.

"Bella Swan. She's a new student there and comes highly recommended." Esme stretched the truth. However Mr. Leary's recommendation was as high as Edward needed.

"Bella?" Edward huffed. "I don't know her."

After dinner, Edward stalked up to his room and sat down at his computer. He logged onto the school's website and looked over the list of students in the junior class. There was no one listed by the name of Bella Swan.

Irritated that he would have to face the unknown, Edward turned off his computer and flopped down on his bed.

"At least I'm getting a car out of it," he muttered. "This better be worth it."


	3. Chapter 3

**The Tutor**

**Chapter 3 – Aloof**

"So let me get this straight," Jasper pointed towards Edward with suspicion. "You want me to _ignore_ Alice?"

"I said be aloof. I didn't say ignore." Edward clarified.

"Ignore, aloof. What's the difference?" Jasper stated. "She's going to think I'm pissed at her and then she's going to get pissed at me."

"See, this is exactly what I'm talking about. You sound like a whiny bitch." Edward rolled his eyes. "You're Alice's best friend, right?"

"Yeah," Jasper smiled.

"And you don't see a problem with that?"

"What? It's the next best thing."

"The next best thing to being a girl's boyfriend is being the guy she hooks up with on the side…scratch that. Being the guy she hooks up with on the side is better than being her boyfriend. That way you don't have to spend any money on her."

"Man, Edward, you're a dick."

"You're even starting to sound like a girl." Edward grimaced. "And I may be a dick, but at least I use mine."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that the last time you hooked up with Alice, you went down on her and then you went home with a raging case of blue balls. Tell me I'm wrong."

"That was different. She'd had a very stressful day and I was just helping to relax her. There is a lot of drama on that cheerleading squad. You have no idea."

"Oh my –" Edward pounded the dashboard in anguish. "If you could only hear how gay you sound right now…"

Jasper stared out the windshield into the rain as he contemplated what Edward was saying. If Edward were the only one who'd said this same thing to him, he'd be prone to ignore it and chalk it up to one of Edward's ploys to get Alice completely out of the picture. Jasper knew that Edward preferred not to have Alice usurping so much of his free time. But Edward wasn't the only who had pointed out that Jasper doted on Alice too much. His parents, his brother, his cousins and all of his other friends said the same exact thing.

"What if I try this and it doesn't work?" Jasper asked quietly.

"What you're doing right now isn't working. She's making a fool out of you. You need to have some dignity. Otherwise, she's only going to keep you around long enough to find someone else."

Jasper exhaled through his nose before cutting the ignition off on his car. "So…what do I do again?"

"When you see her, don't be the first to speak. Let her speak to you. Don't even look at her until she acknowledges your presence. And then, don't act all eager. Answer her questions with as little information as possible. If she asks you to go somewhere or do something, say no or say you don't know," Edward began.

"What if I want to go?" Jasper interrupted.

"Then call her at the last minute and tell her you can go."

"She'll never go for that."

"Again with the giving Alice all the power…"

"Okay, okay. What else?"

"Well for starters, you've gotta drop that damn cooking class!"

*******

On the other side of the parking lot, at the front of the school, a similar conversation was transpiring between Rosalie and Jessica.

"I'm tellin' ya, Edward's that kind of guy that doesn't want anything that's too easy to get. He'll only be interested when he thinks you're no longer interested in him." Jessica said.

Rosalie listened intently. "That's true. Like, the only times he wants to hang out are the times when I don't invite him. If I'm going to a club or something, he'll tag along, but if I say, 'hey let's hang out', he always says he can't."

Jessica nodded. "See? Just try it and I bet you he'll be asking you out before the week's end.

Rosalie was encouraged by Jessica's words. And nothing would be nicer than a date with Edward Cullen this Saturday night.

"I could wear that black top I got the last time we went shopping," Rosalie said, getting a little ahead of herself.

"Ooh, yeah. That's so cute." Jessica agreed.

"Oh, and Jess, not a word of this to Alice. She thinks Edward isn't worth a dime and I don't want to hear about it all day and night."

"Yeah, sure. Not a word." Jessica nodded.

*******

Edward scanned the faces of his classmates as they walked around the campus. He was inconspicuously looking for faces he didn't recognize. He didn't bother looking at the runts in the ninth and tenth grades. Esme had said his tutor was in his class. _Bella Swan_…who was that?

"Hey, do you guys know a girl named Bella?" He asked later when he'd met up with his friends at their usual spot in the quad before second period.

"Yeah, she's in my history class," Alice answered.

"Who is she? What does she look like?" Edward probed.

"Why?" Rosalie asked quickly, already forgetting what Jessica had told her only hours before.

"I just want to know. I didn't recognize her name," Edward shrugged.

"Oh, well she's a hag." Rosalie finished.

"Great," Edward muttered.

Jasper came up and stood next to Edward at that moment.

"Hey, you wanna ditch?" he asked quietly.

"Can't, man. I have English." Edward answered.

"So? You always ditch English." Jasper countered.

"I can't," Edward stated in a tone that let Jasper know the discussion was over.

"You'd better not ditch!" Alice directed her gaze towards Jasper. "We have to cook a soufflé in cooking today and I am so not doing it alone."

"I'm not in that class anymore." Jasper stated without making direct eye contact with Alice.

"What?" her face fell. "You dropped? Why?"

Jasper shrugged. "I just did."

The bell rang then, and Edward and Jasper walked away from the core, each walking in different directions.

Alice watched Jasper as he walked away.

"Um, bye," she called after him sarcastically. He held up his hand in a silent wave and continued walking.

Alice turned back to Jessica and Rosalie with a pout on her face. "Okay, what the hell was that?"

"What?" Rosalie asked as she tried to conceal the fact that she was smoking in the quad.

"Jasper. Did you see the way he was acting? He wouldn't even talk to me."

"What'd you do?" Rosalie asked.

"Nothing!" Alice's voice escalated in octaves.

"Maybe he's on his period. You know how they say friends cycle at the same time," Jessica joked. Rosalie laughed loudly as she extinguished her cigarette on the bottom of her shoe.

Alice harrumphed before walking away. "I'll see you bitches later. I have to go to class."

*******

Bella was delighted that Rosalie had seemed to forget who she was this morning in history class. Now, if the rest of her classes were as uneventful as the first one had been, she'd have a great day.

"Um, Bella," Miss Teale approached her with reservation.

"Yes?" Bella eyed the small stack of papers the teacher held in her hands. Even though Bella had yet to turn in an assignment, she immediately grew apprehensive that she'd done something incorrectly.

"Mr. Leary told me this morning that you'd agreed to tutor Edward Cullen," she said.

"Oh, that," Bella exhaled in relief. "Yeah."

Suddenly the chair next to Bella moved backward and Edward sat down with a thud.

"Oh, Edward, good. You're here," though Miss Teale's tone defied any jubilation at his presence.

Bella's eyes shifted to her side quickly. _This _was Edward Cullen? _Oh great!_

"I was just telling Bella that this was the material I need the two of you to cover." Miss Teale held the packet out between Bella and Edward, urging one of them to take it. When it became obvious that Edward wasn't going to take the initiative, Bella reached up and grabbed it.

"Bella, if you have any questions, you can call me or email me here at school." Miss Teale stated as she walked back up to her desk to begin the class.

Bella glanced over at Edward and noticed that he was glaring at her.

"What?" she asked him. _Wasn't she doing him a favor by agreeing to tutor him, for free? Why did he look so angry?_

Instead of answer her, Edward turned his attention to Miss Teale and her lesson for the day, but it was very apparent that he wasn't listening.

The bell rang to signal the end of class. Without one single, solitary interaction between herself and Edward, Bella wondered how tortuous tutoring him was going to be. He gave her a hint with his next breath.

"Do you know Rosalie Hale?" he asked.

"I know who she is. She's in my history class," Bella answered.

"Yeah. And if you tell anybody about this fuckin' tutoring shit, she's going to pay you a little visit. And it won't be for tea." Edward didn't bother to stick around to make sure Bella understood what he was saying. He simply turned on his heels and walked away, leaving Bella to curse the moment she stepped foot in Forks, Washington.


	4. Chapter 4

**The Tutor**

**Chapter 4 – Confusion**

"Jasper!" Alice ambushed him the next morning as he approached his locker. At first he looked taken aback, but quickly altered his expression to one of indifference.

"What?" he asked as he averted his gaze.

"What do you mean what?" Alice shrilled. "What's your problem?"

Jasper noticed that even though Alice appeared confident in her questioning of him, she was fidgeting with the hem of her shirt and shifting her weight from her left to her right foot. She was nervous.

"I don't have a problem." Jasper shrugged. The wind was whipping his hair all over the place and as he swatted at it, he fleetingly wondered if it made him look weak. Edward's assessment of how he acted around Alice had really messed with his mind. Now Jasper over-analyzed every little movement.

"So what, you're like, mad at me now?" Alice continued.

"Why would I be mad at you?" Jasper asked evasively.

"I have no idea. But if you're not mad, how come you didn't call me back last night? I called you twice."

"You did?" Jasper feigned confusion. "Did you leave messages?" Jasper rummaged around in his locker, though there was absolutely nothing in there that he needed.

"Yes. Two! I left you two messages." Alice held up her fingers in case he needed a visual.

"Oh. I didn't get them. What'd you want?"

Alice narrowed her eyes at his tone. "If you're so interested to know what I want, try returning my call." She turned away from him and stalked off, but before she rounded the corner, she glanced over her shoulder to see if Jasper was watching her. He wasn't.

********

When he was sure that Alice was gone, Jasper leaned against his locker and rubbed his hands over his face. Avoiding Alice was harder than he'd ever imagined.

"Why am I doing this again?" he asked himself aloud as he softly banged his head against his locker.

As if in answer to his question, Edward appeared, seemingly out of thin air, and walked towards him.

"Dude, I don't know whether to punch you or hug you," Jasper began.

"Why?" Edward asked wearily. He reached into the well-worn leather jacket he was wearing and fingered a pack of cigarettes, as if they were a source of security.

"Alice." Jasper explained in one word. "I'm not sure, but I think it's working." He whispered.

"Of course it's working. The second she realizes you're not her little flunky, she's going to want a cum-cream salad with a side of Jasper." Edward said as only he could.

Jasper laughed and pushed his hair out of his eyes. He noticed the balled up classified ads in Edward's hand and pointed to it.

"What's up? Pops making you get a job?" he asked.

"Nah. I'm looking for a car." Edward said as if it were an everyday occurrence.

"You're getting a car?"

"If I pass English…basically."

"Okay…so you're not getting a car."

"Man, shut the hell up! I'm going to pass."

"No offense, Edward, but is it even possible to get a grade lower than what you currently have in that class? You have, like, a negative F."

"It's that cunt, Teale. She waits until I'm not there to give all the study notes and then when I get the test, nothing from the book is on it. She does it on purpose."

"Seriously, Edward. How many classes have you even been to?"

Edward looked over at Jasper as if to ask, '_whose side are you on?'_ "Do you _want_ me to punch you in the mouth? Is that it?"

Jasper laughed at the not-so-implied threat. "Anyway. What's up after school? There's a new manager at the Cove. They'll probably let you back in."

"Can't. I have to do something after school today." Edward answered.

"What?" Jasper inquired.

"It's just…something with my parents. I have to be home after school." Edward answered speciously.

"How long?" Jasper pressed.

"Who knows. Why?"

"Well…with Alice…what's step two? I mean, since the first thing you told me to do worked so well…what do I do now?"

"That's easy. Now you give her a taste of what she wants. If she calls, talk to her. Confuse the hell out of her."

"That is confusing…" Jasper frowned. He was obviously thinking of Alice's state of mind and how she would fare by having him jerk her around.

"Jasper, if you want her to go back to treating you like a douche bag, then forget about everything I say." Edward sighed. Even though he spoke, it was obvious that his mind wasn't on the conversation. His eyes scanned the campus area, as if he were looking for someone. And then, without so much as another utterance, he took off.

********

It was funny how easy it had been for Edward to find out which locker belonged to Bella Swan. All he'd had to do was say that he needed to return some test notes to her and just like that, the secretary whipped open a file on her computer and rattled off Bella's locker number. He casually entertained the idea of getting her combination just as easily. He dismissed the thought rather quickly. From the looks of Bella, there would be nothing in her locker that even remotely interested him.

Edward arrived at Bella's locker before the bell sounded to end the first class of the morning. He watched as students began to exit classrooms and approach the lockers near him. No one spoke to him, not that his glare or his stance invited conversation. Everything about him: his unruly hair, his sinister glare, his dark clothing and his caustic verbiage – all of it worked together to keep his peers away.

Even though he didn't wear a watch, Edward figured enough time had passed for Bella to show up at her locker if she was, in fact, going to do so. However, just as he made a motion to leave, he saw her enter the corridor towards him. She had her head down, and she was looking over a crinkled piece of paper. Edward watched her, unhindered by her gaze.

Bella had an uneven gait to her stride. Just when a rhythm would emerge, she'd stumble or drag the toe of her shoe, throwing off her tempo and her balance. Edward also noticed that she didn't really seem to care much about her appearance. She didn't look homely, as much as she did _basic._ Her hair – brown – screamed nothing special. In fact, that was a great summation of her entirety: nothing special.

She glanced up, then, and noticed Edward at her locker. She gasped audibly and stopped a few inches from her intended destination. It was clear that the threat Edward had left her with the previous day was fresh on her mind.

"What?" she asked.

"What do you mean, what?" Edward arched his eyebrow. "You think you own these lockers?"

"Well, this one in particular, yes." Bella pointed to her own.

"I believe it belongs to the Washington State education system." Edward mocked her.

"Whatever," Bella said in a tone that communicated that she wasn't in the mood to deal with Edward's banter. However, her voice held a tremor that also revealed the fear beneath her words.

"So listen, I need to know what time we're doing this tutoring thing." Edward leaned over and said in a loud whisper.

"Your mom said after school…at your house." Bella clarified.

"For how long?" Edward asked.

"Didn't your mother tell you all this?" Bella frowned.

Edward eyed her. "If you're so good at English, how come you don't know you're not supposed to answer a question with another question?"

_This guy is a piece of work._ Bella stared at Edward for a moment. Surely he had to be joking, because no one person could be as calloused as he was. But as she looked him over, she saw no evidence of humor.

The warning bell rang indicating two minutes to get to class. Without even opening her locker, Bella turned away from Edward and quickly made her way towards her English class. The last thing she wanted was for Miss Teale to think that Edwards's tardy and delinquent ways were rubbing off on her.

Edward snickered at the way Bella hustled off to class. It was like junior high all over again. As he pushed off the bank of lockers he'd been leaning against, he saw Rosalie watching him a few yards away. He gave her a slight nod before he trudged slowly towards Bella's same destination.

********

Usually Rosalie hung out at the outskirts of her PE class, but today the class was running the mile, and Rosalie saw it as the perfect way to let off some steam. _Why was Edward with the new girl? How had he managed to meet her so quickly? Why was he asking about her the other day? Surely he couldn't be interested in her…she was all wrong for him. She wasn't even pretty._

These thoughts and more swirled around in Rosalie's mind as a slow burn began in her lungs at the exertion she was putting forth. _Note to self: cut back on the cigarettes,_ Rosalie thought. But she knew she'd never give up her cigarettes. They defined her. And it was one more thing she and Edward had in common.

After the mile run, Rosalie hurried into the girls' locker room to commandeer one of the few stalled showers. By the time her classmates came in to tidy up for the rest of their day, Rosalie was completely dressed and heading out early to find her friends.

Alice was standing with a few of her cheerleader friends discussing an upcoming pep rally. Rosalie pointed to their usual table and kept walking. Alice recognized the signal, nodding that she'd appear as soon as she was done.

Although it wasn't Alice's company that Rosalie was interested in at that moment. She had a few words for Jessica Stanley. She needed to tell Jessica that her advice sucked. Because even though he hadn't approached Edward, as she usually did, and she didn't call him to ask him if he wanted to go to the Cove (they had changed management and maybe Edward wasn't still banned); despite that, Edward still wasn't giving her the time of day. No. Instead he was hanging around the lockers of bland, nerdy girls. Girls Edward Cullen shouldn't even be able to get it up for.

********

Bella managed to ignore Edward for the duration of their English class, although she couldn't take much credit for it, because he didn't give her a second glance either. However, that changed at the end of class.

As Bella packed up her books and binder, she noticed him looking at her. She opened her mouth to speak, but he beat her to it.

"Don't say 'what'." He said.

"I wasn't going to." She told him.

"Then what were you going to say?"

"I was going to ask you why you didn't bother to just talk to me in class instead of ambushing me at my locker and almost making me late to class."

"Oh," Edward smirked. He could see that he made Bella anxious and it invigorated him. He found the experience empowering.

"So why didn't you?" Bella asked.

"Talk to you in class?" Edward waited for an affirmative nod before continuing. "Because people are nosy and I don't like people knowing my business."

"Yeah, I know. Hence the threat," Bella reminded him.

"That wasn't a threat," Edward said evenly. "It was a promise."

"You know, I don't understand why you're being so difficult. I mean, I'm doing you a favor—"

"You're not doing _me_ a favor. You're doing my _parents_ a favor. There's a difference. So don't think I owe you anything." Edward spat out.

"I don't. And for the record, I'm not exactly getting a Nobel Prize for my services, so you might want to ease up a bit."

Edward's eyebrows arched and his mouth relaxed into a lazy smirk. "I see you put your big-girl panties on today. Bella's got a bark."

"Sorry. I didn't know I was supposed to be afraid of you."

As soon as Bella uttered her last sentence, she quickly left the classroom before Edward could counter her stance. Besides, though she wasn't _that_ scared of him, Rosalie was a different story and Bella didn't want to give Edward any ammunition to make good on his "promise".


	5. Chapter 5

**The Tutor**

**Chapter 5: Functionally Illiterate**

Even though they were going to the same location, and even though they were currently starring at one another from where they stood in the student parking lot, Edward boarded the city bus as Bella revved the engine on her near-ancient truck.

It was obvious to Bella that she was going to arrive at the Cullen home long before Edward did, so she made a pit stop for a fruit smoothie before attempting to sort out Mrs. Cullen's directions to where she lived.

Bella had hoped it would take her longer than it did to arrive at the Cullen home. But in only twenty short minutes since she'd left the school parking lot, she arrived in front of the Cullen home. It was much nicer than she'd anticipated. Edward had reminded her of the inner-city youth back home in Phoenix. She had been expecting to pull up to the curb of a multi-level housing project, encased by chain-linked fencing that was adorned with overgrown vegetation. Instead, before her stood what she could only describe as a mansion. It's stone exterior made it seem majestic and…intimidating. _Just like Edward._

Just to be sure, Bella rechecked the address that she had scribbled on the piece of notebook paper before getting out of her truck. With a deep inhale, and her head tucked down, Bella approached the front door. _This is so out of my comfort zone._

"Bella?"

A woman Bella assumed was Edward's mother came and stood on the porch as Bella approached.

"Hi," Bella answered cautiously.

"I'm Esme. And you're very punctual! Right on time," Esme welcomed her inside. "Can I get you anything to drink? A snack?"

"I just stopped for a smoothie. I'm fine," Bella held up the evidence.

"Okay. Well I told Edward you two were fine to work in the den. He'll be down in a minute." Esme continued.

"Edward's here already?" Bella asked.

"Yes. We live very close to the school actually. I think he took the bus today. It doesn't take much time to get home."

Bella took in the décor of the home as she followed Esme to the den. Even though she didn't really care about curtains and matching fabrics, she had to admit that whoever decorated the Cullen home certainly knew what they were doing.

When Esme excused to herself to go get Edward, as Bella assumed, Bella pulled out the packet that Miss Teale had given them to work on. From the looks of the assignment, Bella simply had to sit next to Edward while he completed the worksheets and answer questions if he had any. There wasn't really anything for her to _explain_ to him. It wasn't grammar, after all.

"Okay you two," Esme smiled, "I'll come back in a little after an hour. Thanks again, Bella, for doing this."

It wasn't until that moment that Bella had even realized Edward was in the room. He was standing against the far wall, starring at her as if he'd just been told there was only enough oxygen in the room for one of them.

"I guess we should get started," Bella said as she slid the worksheet across the table in hopes that he'd sit down somewhere in its vicinity.

Instead, he stayed standing; glaring from where he stood.

"Oh my gosh…I feel like I'm in a really bad after-school special," Bella muttered to herself.

Much to her surprise, Edward heard her…and he laughed.

"So is this the part where I offer you 'reefer' so convincingly that you can't refuse? And then your entire, picture-perfect life comes screeching to a halt?" Edward asked.

Bella frowned. And the thought that formulated in her mind came shooting out of her mouth before she could stop it.

"How can you be failing English? You're so…quick." She observed, along with the fact that he was now sitting across from her at the table.

Edward shrugged and looked down at the worksheet. "This is a bunch of bullshit." He pushed the paper back over to Bella and sat back. His glare was challenging, once again.

"Edward, you have to do this," Bella began.

"I don't have to do anything." He said evenly.

"Then why am I even here?" Bella asked.

"You tell me."

"Well, I was under the impression that you needed to pass this class to graduate."

"So, I just won't graduate."

"Are you trying to get me to quit or something? Because I'm not a quitter."

"Now who's stuck in a bad after school special?" Edward rolled his eyes.

Bella could not believe how frustrated she was becoming. Surely her counselor, and Edward's parents, didn't expect her to force him to learn. She was not equipped for that, nor was she interested.

"Edward, let's just finish the stuff that we have to get done and then we can be done with this. Why are you making it so difficult?" Bella asked him. "Here, just…read this paragraph and answer the comprehension questions in section one." Again, she slid the paper back over to him.

Edward glanced down at the paper as if he were going to complete it. His eyes scanned the paragraph momentarily before he looked up into Bella's expectant face.

"Why don't you demonstrate by doing section one? I'll do section two." He said.

Bella knew it was wrong for her to do the work for him. But her level of desperation had increased exponentially the minute Edward agreed to do any work at all.

"Okay. Here…" Bella paused long enough to read the paragraph and answer the four questions listed below it. It certainly didn't hurt that she'd already done the assignment once on her own. "Now it's your turn."

Again Edward looked down at the paper. This time he spoke without lifting his head. "Your bra is showing…and it's dirty."

Immediately embarrassed, Bella looked down quickly to inspect herself. However the only evidence of her bra she saw was her strap gingerly peeking out of her neckline. She quickly tucked it back inside. "It's not dirty. It's taupe."

"Taupe?" Edward repeated as if it were a dirty word. "What is that? Some special kind of training bra or something?"

Bella glowered at Edward as she tried to determine if he was insulting her or if he was simply dense enough to think that _all_ bras were called training bras.

"Did you finish section two yet?" Bella asked, even though she knew he hadn't.

Edward had turned his attention out the window and was now focusing his attention on Bella's truck.

"What year is that hunk of junk?" he pointed.

Bella knew Edward was trying to distract her, but she engaged him nonetheless. "It's old." She stated simply.

"Couldn't afford anything else, eh?"

"Nope. Sure couldn't." Bella spoke in short clipped tones.

Edward stole a glance at Bella to see if her expression matched her annoyed and frustrated tone. In the process of looking at her, he noticed Carlisle standing in the doorway, observing him.

Unaware of the spectator in the doorway, Bella was relieved when Edward once again turned his attention to the task at hand.

"It doesn't make any sense." He finally stated.

Bella reached over and looked at the directions for section two once again. "Read the sonnet and answer the question regarding its theme and…" Bella trailed off as she mumbled the directions to herself.

"What's the sonnet? Bella, can you read it to me?" Carlisle asked from his place at the door.

Bella spun around and faced him suddenly. She hadn't realized he was there and his words startled her. Not to mention the fact that she thought it was an extremely odd request. Why didn't he just ask Edward to read it? He _was_ the one being tutored, after all. But of course she couldn't say anything like that. Instead, she simply read the sonnet loud enough for Carlisle, who hadn't made a move from the doorway, to hear.

"And what were the questions regarding the theme?" Carlisle asked once Bella had finished reading.

Again Bella indulged him and prattled off the multiple-choice options for the theme of the sonnet.

"What do you think, Edward? Which one of those is the theme?" Carlisle finally directed his question to his son.

Edward looked horrible put out as he answered the question…correctly. Bella pointed to the selection on the page for Edward to circle the right answer.

"See, you know this stuff," she said in encouragement.

Edward was embarrassed. He didn't need Carlisle and Bella double-teaming him and then placating him by telling him he'd done so wonderful at something as simple as pouring milk into a cereal bowl.

Edward looked up to express his irritation to Carlisle, but his eyes were met with emptiness where Carlisle had just stood. Instead, he shifted his gaze to Bella.

"I'm done." He said with finality.

"What? But we've only just started," Bella protested.

"Now I know how to do it. I can do the rest by myself."

"But you won't."

"I will."

"Promise?"

Edward frowned at Bella. "Why do you care if I finish? It's my grade."

"Because I'm supposed to be helping you. I said I would. I like to do what I say I'm going to do."

"Well, whatever. I'm done. I have other homework. This isn't my only class, you know."

"What other classes are you taking?" Bella attempted conversation. If she were going to be seeing him on a regular basis, it would be easier if they were on friendlier terms.

"Shop, P.E., history…" Edward stopped. "Nothing like the brainiac classes you have."

Bella ignored the jab at her expense as she zipped up her backpack. Edward reminded her of the small puppies she'd worked with at the animal shelter back in Phoenix – always barking, never biting.

"Well, I don't have shop." She said.

Bella stood up to leave, and when Edward didn't make a move either way, she headed out the front door, waving a quick goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Cullen as she went.

*******

Dinner had been a quiet affair and Esme knew that the two men in her life were both unhappy at a central decision she'd made. Edward was openly disagreeable to having one of his classmates in his home. He almost never brought friends home – not that he considered Bella a friend. But even Jasper; Esme could count the number of times he'd been over on one hand. It were almost as if Edward was ashamed of his home…his family.

And Carlisle was quiet for a similar reason. Esme was sure that he would have words with her sooner or later. So she wasn't that surprised when later that night, after she'd put Maddie to bed, Carlisle came into the kitchen while she was cleaning up the dinner dishes. His motions were silent but calculated. When Carlisle picked up the rinsed dishes and began loading them into the dishwasher, Esme braced himself for his words.

"This isn't going to work," he said softly.

"I'm not giving up on him," Esme countered.

"I'm not asking you to. But he needs professional help, Esme. You can't keep forcing Edward into these mainstream tactics. It's not good for him." Carlisle stopped what he was doing and faced his wife. "Edward can't read-"

"He _can_ read," Esme slightly raised her voice before lowering it again. It was always safe to assume that Edward was eavesdropping, whether he was or not.

"Being seventeen and able to muddle through Dr. Seuss' _Green Eggs and Ham _is not reading, Esme. He is barely considered functionally illiterate. He needs special education."

"We've talked about this before, Carlisle. And I won't put him into the system. Not now."

"It's not too late. He can be helped."

"Carlisle, Edward needs to be seventeen-years-old his junior year." Esme stressed. "If he gets held back and turns eighteen before his senior year in high school…he'll never finish. And that is a handicap that will hurt him far worse than a little bruised pride."

Carlisle contemplated his wife's words. He knew she was right on one account: as soon as Edward was able to make decisions as a legal adult, their attempts to help him would be severely limited.

"I just think there are more efficient ways of helping Edward in the short-term. If you're so worried about him finishing school, why not home-school him? Or send him to a private school?"

"Because behaviorally, Edward would never make it at private school. And even if I did think I could teach him, which I don't', I don't want to strip away his normalcy. Even though high school is a struggle, it's an experience I don't want to deprive him of."

"I don't know, Esme…"

"Carlisle, he's not like us. He doesn't relate to us. And though he doesn't like to go to class, Edward doesn't seem to mind the social aspect of school. I'm not going to take that way from him."

Looking at it from a social standpoint, Carlisle conceded. But educationally, he knew Edward could be better helped. "I still think we should get him professional help for his school work. Bella is not equipped to deal with him. I doubt even I could do it."

Esme stared out the kitchen window into the dark night. "I'm not ready to give up on her yet, either. Bella has already made more progress than the last two _professional_ tutors we hired. After all, at least he came out of his bedroom this time."


	6. Chapter 6

**The Tutor**

**Chapter 6 – Playing the Field**

Alice and Rosalie sat perched against her car behind the school lot. Their presence was concealed by a massive oak tree and thick green foliage.

"You're going to get kicked off the squad if they catch you smoking," Rosalie said as she accepted her cigarette back after Alice's long puff.

"I don't care anymore," Alice said as she exhaled into the wind. "Uuurrggg! Jasper is driving me crazy!"

It was a conversation they'd been dancing around all morning. Alice was having a hard time bringing herself to the realization that she was obsessing over Jasper – a point that Rosalie had stated several times.

"This is so weird." Rosalie began. "Jasper has literally been trailing after you for years, now you're all hot and bothered about him and he's moving on."

Alice turned towards Rosalie fiercely. "Moving on? What do you mean he's moving on? Who said he was moving on? Did Jasper tell you that? Did you see him with someone? Who is she? What does she look like?"

Rosalie looked at Alice in horror for a moment before she began cracking up laughing. "Oh my gosh, Alice. You should hear yourself! Seriously…are you high?"

At this, Alice buried her face in her hands. "What is wrong with me?" she yelled in anguish. "A couple weeks ago everything was fine. Jasper was just Jasper and all was well. Now he's _**JASPER**_…I can't seem to get him off my mind. I want off this roller coaster ride."

The tables had turned and Rosalie vaguely realized that she now understood the bored looks that had always plagued Alice's face when Rosalie had droned on and on over Edward. But this situation was not as tragic. If Rosalie allowed herself to admit it, Alice's attainment of Jasper was much easier than Rosalie's attainment of Edward. Edward was like a lion that wouldn't be caged. Jasper, on the other hand, was a puppy dog.

"We should all go out tonight," Rosalie changed the subject. "You, me, Jasper and Edward. Just like old times. It's been a long time since we've all hung out."

At the mention of Jasper, Alice was immediately on board. "Where should we go? It's a school night."

"My friend Nico is having a party. He wouldn't care if we crashed. His cousin's a DJ downtown, so it should be good."

"Sounds good. Just let me know the details after you talk to everyone." Alice said. Her words were code for: let me know if Jasper is coming.

********

When Edward saw Jasper stealing casual glances towards Alice's locker, he immediately rolled his eyes.

"Still whipped, I see," Edward said, catching Jasper off-guard.

At Edward's comment, Jasper immediately reached in his pocket and pulled out his phone. He held it up for Edward to see.

"Fourteen messages. All from Alice. Now who's whipped?" Jasper grinned.

"Who has a stalker, you mean." Edward snorted. "Did you call her back?"

"Nope."

"Good man," Edward smirked.

"The thing I don't understand is if acting like this gets Alice to get back with me, when do I get to stop acting like…well…you? I mean, I am _not_ going to act like a dick to my girlfriend. Besides, I want to talk to Alice. It's hard not calling her back."

"Jasper, quit whining." Edward said. "And all you have to do is talk to another girl. Let Alice see, she'll get jealous, she'll confront you, you tell her she can't have it both ways and viola! You've got her. You're done."

Jasper opened his mouth to protest but closed it when he saw that Edward wasn't really paying much attention to him. Again his eyes were scouring campus for something…or someone.

"What are you looking for?" Jasper asked. "Rosalie?"

"Why would I be looking for her?"

Jasper shrugged. "Are you going to that rager tonight that she's been talking about? It's supposed to be wild."

"I haven't even seen her." Edward stated. "Are you going?"

"I might," Jasper said as he eyed Edward for his approval or disapproval. Alice was going to be there and he _really_ wanted to go with her.

"What time?" Edward asked.

"She told me to pick her up at nine. You in?"

"Nothin' better to do," Edward now turned his full attention back to Jasper. "Pick me up first." He didn't want Jasper to bring anyone over to his house, even if it was briefly.

*******

Bella was expecting Mr. Leary to call her into his office to tell her what a complete failure she had been with Edward Cullen. When Miss Teale had come by their table that morning to collect Edward's homework, Bella caught a glimpse of the worksheet they'd been working on and just as she's suspected, there was nothing completed on it beyond what he'd done while she was still at his house. When she'd looked over at Edward, he gave her a smug glance in return before putting his head down on the desk and falling asleep. Bella had woken him up accidentally when she brushed by him to leave after the class had ended.

Each time the phone rang or a note was delivered to her class from the office, Bella held her breath in anticipation of having her name called. So when her math teacher casually approached her desk and placed a folded piece of paper on it without so much as a word, Bella felt every one of her internal organs tense in agony.

Slowly she unfolded the paper and glanced to see whom it was from. Tobias Nunes. _Tobias Nunes? Who the heck was that?_

Upon closer inspection, Bella came to know that Tobias Nunes was the president of the Mathletes, an on-campus group that competed in math tournaments throughout the region. Apparently Tobias was privy to the names of students who scored in the ninety-fifth percentile on their math assessments at Forks High School. He was sure she would be overjoyed at the invitation to join the Mathletes and, as he put it, "bestow upon her student body the honor of her knowledge". _Dry Heave._

Bella stifled an audible groan as she crumpled up the note and stuck it in her pocket. She was beginning to get a clear picture of what people saw when they looked at her. Did absolutely everything about her scream NERD? Since she had come to Forks, she had been asked to join the chess club, the French club, the poetry club and now Mathletes. Oh, and let's not forget tutoring.

Truth be told, if Bella hadn't had a recent conversation with her parents regarding college and scholarships, there is no way on God's green earth that she would have even considered tutoring Edward Cullen. But her parents had told her the same thing: she needed something to beef up her applications.

"You're a Caucasian female from a middle-income family – you need something to set your application apart from the rest," her father had said. Bella had known he was speaking the truth and it was this fact, and this fact only, that had led her to agree to tutor Edward. And now she had to remind herself of this fact daily, because she never wanted to set foot in front of Edward again.

The school day neared its end and as Bella approached her last class of the day, she hadn't heard anything from Mr. Leary and she was beginning to realize that she probably wouldn't. Just when she was beginning to relax, someone spoke from a very close proximity to her.

"Crown Bowling Supply? Is that where you work?"

Bella looked over to see a slender boy with dark blonde hair and beautiful hazel-green eyes.

"I'm sorry…what?" she asked.

"Your shirt. Crown Bowling Supply…do you work there or something?"

Bella noticed that he kept glancing around as he spoke and she wondered if he really meant to speak to her, or after seeing her face realized that she was someone else and was too embarrassed to admit it.

"No, it's just a shirt." _Do I have a flashing LOSER sign on my back? Seriously…wear my work shirt to school…come on now._

"Do you bowl?" the guy continued.

Now it was Bella's turn to look around. Surely there was a group of people somewhere who had dared him to speak to her or something. He was acting to weird. And how random was this conversation.

As Bella's eyes swept the nearby area, she saw Edward perched upon a table with two other girls. They were all staring in her direction. _Hmm…_

"I don't bowl and uh…I gotta get to class," Bella said as she tried to step away from the mystery guy.

"Okay…anyway…cool shirt." He patted Bella on the shoulder before turning and walking away.

Bella glanced once more towards Edward. He was still watching her. She didn't know what had just transpired, but she'd bet her last dollar that Edward had something to do with it.

*******

"Okay, so I saw the cutest pair of black pants yesterday at the mall, Rosalie. They would look perfect-" Alice stopped speaking so suddenly that both Rosalie and Edward looked over quickly to see what had gotten her attention so intensely.

All three of them watched as Jasper approached Bella. Edward turned to his company in time to see Rosalie's eyes narrow in irritation, but Alice…Edward found Alice's reaction to be quite comical. She looked as if she were trying to shoot daggers out of her eyes and…was that a growl?

"What is she doing?" Alice asked as if she expected an answer.

Edward didn't bother to hide his chuckle. _Why did girls always do this? Instead of focus her anger on Jasper, whom she knew, Alice chose to focus her anger on Bella. Girls were treacherous. _

"Alice, I think she's trying to move in on your man," Rosalie goaded.

As soon as Rosalie spoke, she glanced over at Edward. He was watching Jasper and Bella as well. She couldn't help but notice that he was staring with more interest than Edward usually gave anything. _Why was that?_

Unbeknownst to both Alice and Rosalie, Edward was a little perturbed that Jasper had chosen Bella for his little "experiment". He hadn't even known they knew each other. And what were they talking about? He knew what Bella had better _not_ be talking about. His facial expression hardened when he saw her glance his way.

Rosalie's shrill voice interrupted his thoughts at that moment. "She just looked over here. Alice, she's taunting you!"

"Look, they know we see them, so he's walking away." Alice added her own commentary. "That girl better stay away from my man, or I'm gonna kick her ass."

"Your man?" Edward turned and looked at her. "You broke up with Jasper. He's free to be with any girl he wants."

Alice glared at Edward. "Shut up, Edward." It was all she had to offer because everyone knew that he spoke the truth.

Edward looked over at Bella again just as she was looking at him. Silently he tried to warn her with his eyes. _Keep your mouth shut about the tutoring, Swan…_ Bella was gone before he could tell if she understood or not.

********

Edward drummed his fingers against Jasper's dashboard as they waited in front of Rosalie's house for she and Alice to appear.

"I have a bad feeling about this party," Edward said. "Do you know whose house it's at?"

"No. It's a friend of Rosalie's. The guy's cousin is supposed to be a pretty sick DJ. It's supposed to be packed."

Jasper looked up as Rosalie and Alice emerged from the house and headed towards the car. He noticed that Alice wore a pout and she had her arms crossed over her chest in defiance.

"Be strong, Jas. She's up to something," Edward muttered before he scooted his seat up so that Rosalie and Alice could climb in comfortably.

"Hey guys," Rosalie offered as she got in behind Edward.

Both guys nodded. Alice made it a point to remain silent and no one acknowledged her.

As they neared the address Rosalie had given for the party, everyone in the car began to squirm nervously.

"Where are we?" Edward asked.

"I don't know," Rosalie said defensively. "This is the address Nico gave me."

"How well do you know this Nico guy?" Jasper asked.

"He's legit." Rosalie insisted. "Edward, let me out. You pussies can sit here and cry about it all night."

Edward got out of the car and followed Rosalie up to the front door. Jasper was about to follow suit when Alice stepped in his path.

"I'm mad at you," she said.

"For what?" Jasper didn't bother looking at her. Instead he busied himself with getting cigarettes out of his pockets.

"For what?" Alice repeated. "Jas, what the hell is going on? How come you're being such a prick all of a sudden?"

"I'm not," Jasper said nonchalantly.

"You are," Alice insisted. "You're not returning any of my calls, you hardly speak to me at school and today I saw you all cozy with that new girl. What's up with that?"

"Why do you care who I talk to?"

"You know I care, Jas. I care about you."

"You can't have it both ways, Alice. Either we're friends or we're more than friends. None of this friends with benefits shit. It doesn't work."

"It that what this is about? If we can't be together we can't be friends?" Alice looked at Jasper icily.

Jasper wavered under his answer. He hadn't expected an ultimatum and he didn't know if he could deal with the consequences of his words.

"I can't do it," he said casually.

"Can't do what?" Alice demanded.

"I can't be that guy who sits around and waits for you to make up your mind. I have to get on with my life." Jasper said. And suddenly, he meant it.

"I'm not asking you to," Alice said, but her tone betrayed her. She knew that she was.

"That's exactly what you're asking me to do!" Jasper turned on her and raised his voice. "And if you think that I'm just going to stand around and wait for you to realize that there isn't a guy in the world who cares more about you than I do, then you're sadly mistaken."

Jasper had almost reached the porch of the house when he heard Alice call out to him.

"Jasper."

She was crying. _Shit._

He stopped walking but he didn't turn around until she called out to him again, much nearer this time.

"Okay," Alice said when Jasper was facing her. She wiped at the tears that had begun to descend down her cheeks.

"Okay, what?" Jasper asked.

"Okay…we can be more than friends." Alice sniffled.

"Don't do me any favors, Alice. If you don't want to be with me, then just let me go. But I don't want to keep doing this…"

"I want to be with you."

"Why?"

"Because I'm miserable without you. Because I need you in a way that no other guy is going to satisfy and because…you're enjoying this way too much aren't you?" Alice asked when she saw the small smile on Jasper's face.

He embraced her and pulled her into him. "I'm pretty miserable without you, too," he said. And then he kissed her in a way to make her forget the pain he'd caused her over the last several days.

********

The party didn't end up being as bad as Edward had anticipated, but it was bad. The "rager" consisted of middle-aged people trying to hang onto their youth in the worst way. Still, the booze was flowing and no one gave Edward a hard time. He appreciated that.

"If that guy plays a Barry Manilow or Neil Diamond song, I'm outta here." Edward whispered to Rosalie.

She laughed as she tossed her hair back and scooted closer to Edward. "It's not too bad. At least you and I are getting to hang out. We haven't done that in a long time."

Edward looked over and recognized the look on Rosalie's face immediately. She wanted to hook up. _Ugh. Not this again._

"Yeah, it's been awhile," he said as his eyes combed the room for a distraction.

"You wanna get outta here?" Rosalie asked with an arched eyebrow.

"And do what?" Edward asked. _Anything but me._

"I dunno. Smoke?" Rosalie offered.

"Sure." Edward agreed. He needed a cigarette, and he welcomed the cold night air. "Have you seen Jasper? He's got my cigarettes."

"I haven't seen him or Alice. But don't worry, I have cigarettes." Rosalie offered.

Edward followed her outside to the front of the house, all the while hoping that she curbed her advances. She didn't.

"I'm cold," she said as she leaned against Edward and wrapped her arms around his torso.

Careful not to burn her with his cigarette, Edward slipped off his jacket and handed it to Rosalie. He'd rather freeze than put up with her hanging all over him.

"What's the matter, do I smell or something?" Rosalie snipped.

"No. I'm just not cold, that's all." Edward said in an attempt to spare her feelings. It wasn't working very well.

Edward took his phone out of his pocket to inspect the time. He knew the party wasn't going to get any better. The only thing that would probably happen is he'd get drunk and end up doing something that he didn't want to do. _Like last time…_

Edward spotted Jaspers car and wondered if Jasper had left it unlocked. He was considering sitting in there and listening to music when he noticed that Jasper's car was moving. Or more like rocking."

"What the hell?" he asked.

Rosalie followed his gaze and before long, she was cracking up. "Well I guess we found Jasper and Alice."

"Great. That car is going to smell like pussy." Edward complained as he realized that the night wasn't worth all the trouble he was going to get into if he broke curfew. "I gotta get going."

"How are you going to get home?"

"I'm gonna walk." Edward called over his shoulder as he begun doing so.

"But it'll take you forever to get home." Rosalie protested.

"Nah." Edward kept walking.

"Your jacket," Rosalie said knowing that wouldn't be enough to sway him.

"Keep it. I'll get it tomorrow." Edward kept moving. He walked until he rounded the corner. Then he pulled out his phone and called home.

"Can you come get me? I lost my ride."

When Carlisle arrived to pick up Edward, Carlisle didn't bother to hide the fury on his face.

"I don't know why I should bother answering your phone calls when you don't answer any of mine." Carlisle seethed.

"You called?" Edward asked innocently.

"Don't give me that, Edward. We've been over this before. If you're going to be out, you let us know where you're going and when you're going to be out." Carlisle went on.

"You act like I left without permission." Edward stated. "Esme said I could go."

"Your _mother_ said you could go to Jasper's house. She did not say you could go gallivanting off to God knows where on a school night!"

"I never said I was going to Jasper's house. I said I was going hang out with Jasper."

Carlisle hit the brakes of the car suddenly and turned to stare at Edward incredulously. "Do you think I was born yesterday?"

"No," Edward said, the cocky tone in his voice abandoned.

"Your little word games may work on your mother, but they don't work on me! As long as you are living in my house, Edward, you will abide by my rules." Carlisle paused for a moment to calm himself. "And since you're insisting that you didn't know it wasn't okay with me if you went to a party on a school night, I'm telling you right now, no parties on school nights. Got it?"

"What am I, grounded?" Edward asked.

"No, you're not grounded. You're just home during the week." Carlisle clarified. "Tomorrow you have tutoring, after which I expect you to help your mother with Maddie. I have a late surgery."

At the mention of tutoring, Edward thought of Bella. He couldn't say he was glad that she was returning, but he did relish the opportunity to ask her what she and Jasper had talked about and how she knew him. Though he didn't like the feeling that came over him when he saw Jasper talking to her, he was sure it had everything to do with the secret they shared between them. He needed to even the playing field a little with Bella. Because right now she held all the power, like a ticking time bomb. And he didn't like that. Not one bit.


	7. Chapter 7

**The Tutor**

**Chapter 7 – Victory**

It had been one week of Edward being on "lockdown" on school nights, and Carlisle was being driven insane by his son's behavior. Though he abided by the rules and stayed home on weeknights, Edward made sure that no one was comfortable in his presence. When the telephone rang, he'd pick it up and hang it up without even finding out who was on the line. He blared his stereo until the windows shook. He disconnected the modem and fax machine in Carlisle's office and for three hours Carlisle missed out on very important emails and faxes. Though there wasn't hard evidence of the latter, Carlisle was sure Edward had been behind the "odd happenings" in the home.

"He is out of control," Carlisle admitted in frustration late Tuesday night. "I have a pharmaceutical consultant coming over on Thursday and I don't want to risk my professionalism by having Edward pull one of his crazy stunts."

"You're having a consultant come here?" Esme asked as she snuggled up to her husband in their over-sized bed.

"Yes. Remember, I told you that I'm going to try to handle more meetings from the home office. It's the reason I had the separate entrance put in," Carlisle explained.

"Oh, yes, that's right." Esme nodded against his chest. "Well…Edward wasn't too bad on Monday…"

"What's one night?" Carlisle stated in exasperation. "Esme, what are we going to do about him? He is seriously running me ragged."

"He's a teenager. And don't worry about Thursday. I'll take care of it."

"How?"

"Don't worry about it. Just leave it to me. What time is your meeting?"

"Four o'clock. Trust me, I tried as hard as I could to schedule it to happen while Edward was at school, but it didn't work out."

"Four o'clock. Got it. Trust me. It'll be fine."

As much as he loved his wife, Carlisle did not trust that she would be able to control Edward, and that was unfortunate, because this "client" was offering Carlisle a huge commission to undergo studies on a new medication. If everything worked out, it would be the edge Carlisle needed to start his private practice. All that was standing in his way was the hefty sum the insurance company wanted to secure his malpractice policy. It angered Carlisle that such an important stepping-stone hinged on Edward's behavior. He had considered sending Edward to a friend's house, or on an errand, but he'd decided against it for two reasons. First, Edward was way too irresponsible for an errand, and if he made an exception to his rule of staying in on school nights, Carlisle knew Edward would be unrelenting until he got him to relax his position again. Carlisle knew he had to stand firm, even if it meant he had to sacrifice a little bit. After all, that's what being a parent was all about…right?

********

It was a rare sunny day in Forks and Bella found her spirits to be lifted slightly by the sun. And she wasn't the only one. Angela had found her after history class and had begun speaking to her about something other than schoolwork. That was a good sign that the 'nerd façade' was fading. And then, a tall lanky guy walked up and joined in on the conversation as if he'd been standing there the entire time. At first Bella was nervous. _Who was this guy, and what did he want?_

_This guy_ turned out to be Ben and he looked like he was slightly-more-than-a-friend to Angela. And he was hilarious. It was the hardest Bella had laughed since she'd moved from Phoenix. It felt nice to laugh.

Suddenly Edward walked by and Bella's laughter ended abruptly. She didn't even know why she'd stopped. He didn't really do anything. He didn't bump into her – he wasn't close enough to touch her. But he wasn't far enough away to go unnoticed. In fact, his proximity to her had been almost calculated; more than a casual passing, but nothing he could ever be held to if accused. Even his facial expression…he'd stared straight ahead, but there was a slight smirk on his face. Bella turned to see if he'd turned around or headed for her locker. He didn't. He just kept walking. _Huh. Maybe I'm imagining things. _

Ben was no longer funny. Bella cordially excused herself and headed to her next class…her Edward Cullen class.

Funny how she called it that when he didn't even bother to show up.

********

"How's life in Edwardland?" Jessica asked as she snuck up behind Rosalie.

"Ssh!" Rosalie's eyes darted around to make sure no one had heard. "I told you not to say his name out loud."

"Oh please. Like everyone doesn't know you're hot for him," Jessica rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, well, still. I don't like to flaunt my bid'ness," Rosalie made air quotes for her slang. "Which reminds me, your little "get the guy" plan isn't working."

"That's because you're not sticking to the plan," Jessica responded almost immediately. "I heard you asked him to a party last week. You weren't supposed to do that."

"Technically, I didn't ask him. I had one of his friends ask him."

"Yeah, well you were supposed to be playing hard to get, not throwing yourself at him, which I'm sure you did."

Rosalie didn't confirm or deny Jessica's statement. Instead, she lowered her eyes and her voice.

"I wish I didn't like him."

"Why do you?" Jessica asked. "No offense, but I don't see the draw."

"Don't see the draw? Have you _looked _at him?" Rosalie asked in disbelief.

"He is cute, I'll give you that. But as soon as he opens his mouth…it's all downhill. He's repulsive."

"He has other redeeming qualities."

"Name one."

"Hands down, absolutely _the_ best kisser in the universe."

"Oh, that's right. I forgot you guys hooked up. What else is he good at?" Jessica pried.

"Everything." Rosalie topped her statement off with an evil laugh.

********

By the time the school day ended, the sun had faded behind a mass of clouds. Edward and Jasper quickly made their way to the student parking lot and Jasper's waiting car.

"How much time do you have before your parents notice you're missing?" Jasper asked Edward.

"Not today, man." Edward shook his head. "I've got … something I have to do."

"Something or someone?" Jasper raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"Just drive the car," Edward shook his head and laughed.

Upon arrival at Jasper's house, Jasper ran inside to retrieve a video game for Edward. Edward was about to follow him, but spotted Jasper's brother, Emmett, in the garage.

Emmett was one of the few people in the world that Edward would actually admit to having respect for. Edward overlooked the fact that Emmett was an avid athlete (Edward hated team sports) and admired the way that Emmett never seemed to perceive himself as being better than anyone…even though he basically was better than everyone at everything. Despite the fact that Emmett had the looks, the girl, the car, the status, Edward didn't envy him. Instead he looked up to him and held him in high regard – though, again, he'd never admit that to anyone.

"Hey," Edward managed as he walked into the garage to get a closer look at the decal Emmett was affixing to the hood of his cherry-red Mustang.

"Oh, hey, Edward. What are you up to?" Emmett looked up long enough to greet Edward. "Haven't seen you around in a while."

"Yeah. I'm on house arrest." Edward rolled his eyes.

Emmett have Edward his undivided attention for a moment until he ascertained that Edward was making a joke. "No, seriously. Where ya been?"

"At home. My parents decided on this no going out on school days thing. We'll see how long it lasts."

Emmett laughed. "Yeah, my parents tried that out on me once. Until they realized how much of a pain in the ass I was to have around."

Edward laughed. That was exactly the tactic he had planned to employ.

The mention of parents caused Edward to check his phone for the time. "Jasper better hurry up," he muttered.

"You guys hanging out?" Emmett asked in reference to his brother.

"Are you kidding? The only people Jasper hangs out with these days are Alice, Alice and Alice. The only reason he's here now is because she has that damn cheerleading crap." Edward spat out.

Emmett laughed. "Maybe she'll hook you up with one of the squad."

"No thanks," Edward feigned disgust. "Not my type."

"Oh this oughta be good," Emmett stopped what he was doing. "What's your type?"

Not one to disappoint, Edward answered readily, "Virgins."

Emmett shook his head and laughed. "Should have known you'd come up with something ridiculous like that."

"There's nothin' finer than tight, sweet, brand new pussy."

"Yeah, but you know what happens if you're just in it to get laid."

"What?"

"Virgins are clingy. It takes forever for them to let go of their 'first'. Some never do." Emmett schooled.

Edward shrugged. "Not my problem."

Finally Jasper emerged, waving a video game. "C'mon. Alice's practice is almost over and she hates it when I'm late.

Edward rolled his eyes at Emmett. "Get a load of Jaspertina over here."

"One of these days, that's gonna be you, Edward. Some girl is gonna get you so whipped, you'll be wearing her panties." Emmett laughed.

"Never," Edward assured him.

On the road to the Cullen residence, Edward turned to Jasper with a distraught look on his face. "You wear Alice's panties?"

********

Bella's good mood still hadn't deflated, despite a sudden change to her schedule. Esme Cullen had called Tuesday evening to cancel Wednesday's tutoring session, and had asked Bella to come on Thursday instead. Bella hadn't had a reason to say no, so she readily agreed. Now, on Thursday afternoon, as Bella headed towards Edward's house, she wondered why she needed to come today instead of yesterday. Her mind raced to create boring scenarios that would necessitate a change.

Her thoughts distracted her as she drove, until suddenly she noticed blue and red lights flashing behind her. Her father had driven a police cruiser for most of her life, so she knew what lights without a siren meant. Immediately she pulled over and rolled down her window.

"Yes, officer?" she asked respectfully when the officer approached her car door.

"Do you know how fast you were going?" the officer asked as he looked over the driver's license Bella held out to him.

_Fast?_ He would've had a better chance of convincing her that she was going to slow, but never too fast.

"Are you saying I was speeding?" Bella asked in disbelief.

"Fifty-five in a thirty-five." The officer prattled.

"Fifty-" Bella choked before finishing the number. "Do you know how much effort I'd have to expend to get this truck to go fifty-five miles per hour?

The officer remained silent as he wrote out Bella's ticket. She looked at him in shock as he handed her a summons for a mandatory court appearance. _Ugh. Wait until my dad finds out about this one…_

By the time Bella made it to the Cullen's home, she was a nervous wreck. Esme eyed her carefully as she led her back to the den, but Bella didn't offer up any explanation for her anxiousness. Instead, she apologized for the five minutes she was late, before taking a seat at the large mahogany table to wait for Edward. By the time he emerged, she had her head down on the table, defeated by her anguish.

"Well this is a first – the tutor falls asleep." Edward said as he took a seat across from Bella.

"I'm not asleep," She popped up quickly. Without looking at him, she started throwing books and papers around. "Here. We need to start on section three."

When there was no response to her words, Bella looked over to see Edward staring at her, as if he could see right through her.

"I got a speeding ticket," Bella blurted out. "I wasn't even speeding!"

It was Edward's first inclination to answer with a disinterested 'so?', but, instead he looked out the open window and snorted, "In that dinosaur?"

"I know," Bella agreed. "What the hell is that?"

Edward hadn't expected her acceptance of the ridicule of her truck.

"Sucks to be you," Edward sniffed as he leaned back on the hind legs of his chair.

"Tell me about it," Bella mumbled. "My dad is going to kill me."

Edward frowned at the fact that Bella thought he was making conversation with her. He wasn't. He obviously was putting out the wrong vibe if she thought he was interested in what she was saying. _And she was still talking!_ Edward was just about to interrupt when she said something of interest:

"I know my dad is going to make me take the Washington State driving test. Just to prove a point. Now I'll have to study that thing in addition to all this crap," she gestured towards the books on the table.

"Driving test?" Edward sat up straight in his chair. "I have to take that, too."

"You do? Why? Don't you have your license?" Bella inquired.

Edward shook his head. "I'm getting it. I didn't have grades for driver's ed last year so I have to do it this year."

"I didn't know you could take Driver's Ed as a junior."

"I'm not taking it through the school."

"Oh."

"I, uh, haven't seen the book they use. Have you?"

"I think you can download it from the Internet."

An awkward silence loomed over them as they each tried to figure out the next thing to say to one another. Bella was amazed at the manner in which Edward was speaking – such a lack of hostility. And Edward was trying to figure out how he could work the driver's education angle to his advantage…without Bella knowing his deficiency, of course.

"I'd much rather study that than this," he pointed to the table.

"I don't make the rules." Bella shrugged.

"But you'd benefit, too, if we did that instead."

"I'm not so sure, " Bella narrowed her eyes at him. "I haven't been able to get you to complete one single worksheet since we've been working at this…almost three weeks now. What's it going to look like if we start working on something completely unrelated? Mr. Leary is keeping track of how well we do, you know."

"Mr. Leary's a queer."

Bella looked at Edward humorlessly. _And there he is. I was beginning to think this was a fake Edward sitting in front of me._

"I'll match you, section for section." Edward finally stated.

Bella looked at him in shock. "You're actually bargaining with me, with your own grades? That doesn't make any sense."

"You said yourself that Mr. Leary is keeping track of how we do, which means that you have something to gain from this, too. What is it?"

"A recommendation for my college applications." Bella disclosed.

"Fine, so you get your recommendation and I get to study driver's ed, in addition to wasting my life away with the most boring subject on earth."

Suddenly it all became clear to Bella and she grinned. "You need help with Driver's Ed!"

"Why waste time doing one subject when I can do two?" Edward asked.

"You need help. Admit it. Admit it and I'll do it."

"No."

"Fine. English only, then."

"And no college recommendation."

"I'll just tell them that you were disinterested and uncooperative. Miss Teale and the rest of your grades will back me up."

Edward was silent. "You're a –"

Bella gasped as she anticipated the word Edward was going to use to describe her.

"-stubborn person," he completed.

"So are you," she said when she realized what he'd said.

"Section for section and you get your college recommendation. That's the deal."

"Section for section, I get my college recommendation _and_ you admit that you need my help. _That's_ the deal." Bella countered.

"Nope."

"Fine. And I think our time is up for the day. Are we done here?"

Edward didn't answer her with words. Instead, he simply got up and walked out of the den, leaving Bella alone to pack up her things and let herself out.

********

When Esme returned home from dropping Maddie off at school on Friday morning, she smiled to see her husband snuggled tightly beneath the sheets. Carlisle had gone to the hospital to make rounds after his meeting on the previous day so Esme had hardly gotten to see him. She leaned over and kissed his forehead, successfully waking him up.

"Mmm," he mumbled as he stretched. "What time is it?"

"Almost nine-thirty." Esme answered softly.

"Edward at school?"

"Yes. He left over an hour ago. And boy was he grumpy."

"Why?" Carlisle propped himself up on his elbow.

"Who knows. You know how moody he is these days."

"Don't I ever," Carlisle laid down flat again.

"So, how'd your meeting go yesterday? I've been dying to hear." Esme took a seat on the bed.

"It went great. Babe, I think this is really going to work out for us," Carlisle took his wife's hand in his. "Thanks for keeping Edward at bay."

"I told you I'd take care of it."

"You sure did." Carlisle agreed. "What'd you end up doing, anyway?"

"I had Bella come over yesterday instead of Wednesday."

"Bella."

"Yeah. He tends to behave when she's here."

"Huh. I hadn't noticed."

"Sure you did. Remember, you said he was fine on Monday? It was because Bella came that day. I think she frustrates him…in a good way."

"Whatever works."

********

As Bella took a seat, her seat, in her second period history class, she couldn't help the smile that insisted upon remaining on her face. Despite the dirty looks she got from Rosalie, the 'Please Explain' that was written on her essay or the pop quiz that had just been announced. On any other day, any one of those things would have been enough to render Bella in a foul mood. But not today. Because today she'd have a victory and it was no small one.

Just after her first class, Bella had gone to her locker as usual to get her history book. As soon as she'd administered the correct combination on the lock and opened it up, a small, crumpled piece of paper fell at her feet. When she picked it up and read it, a warm feeling washed over her entire body. For there on that paper, was her victory:

_I ned yur hellp_


	8. Chapter 8

**The Tutor **

**Chapter 8 – Girlfriends & Boyfriends**

Although she wasn't as well acquainted with her father as she was her mother, Bella had judged her father, Charlie Swan, correctly when she'd assumed that he would make her take the Washington State written driving test when she told him about her speeding ticket.

"Dad, you and I both know there's no way I was going over fifty-five," Bella had told him.

Even though he'd agreed, he said that Bella had gotten her license in Arizona, and he'd feel more confident if she studied and passed the Washington examination. Despite his requirement, he did tell Bella that he'd attempt to call in a favor to keep the ticket off her record.

Call in a favor. It was a phrase Bella had heard her father use more than a dozen times since she'd moved in with him. Even though he was no longer on the Forks police force, due to an on-the-job injury, (pulled a tendon trying to hurdle a fence), Charlie liked to remind anyone and everyone that he once was someone of importance in Forks, Washington.

Bella often felt sorry for her father. In a sense, his entire identity had been wrapped up in his job of Police Chief. Once stripped of that title, through no fault of his own, an identity crisis had ensued. And if _he_ didn't know who he was, how could anyone else?

These days, Bella referred to her father as a professional fisherman. Every chance he got, that's where he was. Not that Bella minded all that much. While any other teenaged girl may have taken advantage of the fact that she was alone most weekends, Bella just enjoyed the quiet solitude. Besides, what could she do _to_ take advantage of the time? This _was_ Forks, Washington, after all and Bella didn't know anyone well enough to invite them over.

Her mind flashed to Edward. _What? No way!_ Nope. She didn't know anyone well enough to invite them over.

The thought of Edward caused Bella to go to her backpack and pull out the note he'd written her on Friday. Sitting on her bed with it in her hands, she turned it over and over. It was very telling. It explained a lot.

"He either can't spell…did it on purpose or … I wonder if he can even read." Bella thought out loud. The memory of her first tutoring session with Edward sprang to mind. She thought of Edward's father standing in the door, asking her to read out loud – first the sonnet and then the multiple-choice answers to the question.

Bella remembered thinking it was an odd request, but now, coupled with the note from Edward, it was beginning to have significance.

Not that Bella would come right out and ask Edward if he could read or not. She had no plans for that. She could only imagine his reaction to her if she were wrong.

Of course, that was only part of her logic. On the other hand, Edward was smart. And Bella could see him pretending not to be able to read just to get her to do everything for him. But would his father play along with that? Would he go through all the trouble of asking her to read aloud just to be a part of Edward's charade? _No, I don't think so…_

Whatever the cause, by Monday morning, Bella had decided that she wouldn't address the issue of Edward's reading ability, or lack thereof. Instead, she put the two downloaded copies of the Washington Driver Guide into her backpack and headed out the door.

********

Rosalie rolled her eyes as she watched Alice twirl her fingers through Jasper's hair as she sat on his lap awaiting the bell to ring, signaling the beginning of school. Rosalie loved Alice, she really did, but if she didn't tone down the PDA with Jasper, Rosalie was going to begin taking applications for a new best friend. Seriously, it was beginning to repulse her… and leave her wanting, another feeling she didn't like.

At the thought of unfulfilled desires, Rosalie began to search for Jessica and found her. Gladly, she left the company of the love struck lovebirds and strolled up to Jessica, a question on her lips.

"Okay, so I've been ignoring him forever. No change." Rosalie announced when it was just she and Jessica.

"Two days is not forever," Jessica said right before rolling a stick of gum into her mouth. She held one out to Rosalie, who accepted. "Besides, You and Edward don't really have conversations, from what I've seen. Not talking to him isn't going to faze him. Do you have any routines or something that you guys do together?"

"Um…smoke?" Rosalie thought. Nothing else they did seemed regular, or isolated to just the two of them.

"At the smoking rock?" Jessica shook her head. "That won't work. Too many people."

"Not before third period. We're usually the only ones. Jasper and Alice are on the other side of the campus. Not that they're coming up for air much these days anyway."

Jessica smiled. "I'm glad they're back together. They're so cute."

"Try being around them for more than five minutes. It's heave-worthy."

"Just wait until people say that about you and Edward."

Rosalie pretended to be irritated by Jessica's words, but the undercurrent of hope and desire over rid all traces of it.

********

Edward was standing with his friends, but his mind and eyes were on the brown-haired girl too far away to notice him.

So far, Bella had given no indication that she would comply with the "agreement" they'd made, and Edward had confirmed, with his note. _Were they on, or not?_ It irritated him that she gave no indication either way.

At the tips of his conscious mind, he could hear Rosalie ask him a question. Judging by the tone of her voice, it wasn't the first time she'd asked, but he hadn't heard her before, either.

"What?" Edward asked.

"Do you have cigarettes?" she asked.

"Yeah," Edward eyed her suspiciously. She, of all people, had to know that he never shared his cigarettes. Why was she asking? "Why?"

"Because I'm running low and if you didn't have any, I was gonna ditch and go get some. That way we'd have enough at the rock." Rosalie explained.

Edward gave a small mumble to acknowledge her words, but silently he wondered if she realized how transparent she was. Why didn't she just ask him if he was going to the rock before third period? He didn't even have to ask the question to know the answer. _She wanted something._ He didn't need to ask the question of what. He knew that answer, too.

Edward turned back to Rosalie when Bella was no longer in his field of vision. Funny…Rosalie had disappeared too.

During his English Literature class, Edward stole a few glances at Bella. She was never looking at him when he did. He shuffled around, hoping to get her attention without blatantly asking for it. She glanced over, but when he made eye contact, she looked away quickly. For the remainder of the class, she eluded him.

"Hey," Though the first to leave when the bell had sounded, Edward had stayed just outside the classroom door and waited for Bella to emerge.

He startled her and Bella jumped slightly. Her eyes quickly scanned her nearby surroundings before settling one again on Edward.

"What's up?" she asked.

"Are you coming over today…or what?" Edward asked. He didn't bother asking about the note.

"Yeah. Why, do you need to cancel?" Bella asked. Again her eyes searched around nervously.

"No," Edward stalled. "So…section for section, right?"

"That was the deal," Bella sighed.

_So she had gotten the note. _

"Well…don't be late. I have other shit to do," Edward said as he walked away from her. He didn't bother to see if she had heard him. If he'd looked back, he would have seen her watching him with an annoyed pout on her face.

********

Rosalie stood at the edge of the school, concealed by the brick wall and a bank of lockers.

Edward didn't show much interest in going to the rock before third period. And Rosalie had all but begged him, bribing him with free cigarettes! She hated the desperation she was feeling all of a sudden regarding Edward. But something was off about him…and she had a good feeling about what it was. She smiled smugly to herself, thinking she'd taken care of _that_ problem.

Rosalie watched as Edward emerged from his second period class. She watched to see if he would head towards the rock. Her brow furrowed when she saw him exit class but then lean against the door as if he were waiting for something…or someone. Before Rosalie could wonder which it was, she got her answer. Bella Swan exited the classroom and suddenly she had Edward's full attention…again.

Anger washed over Rosalie as she studied Edwards's expression as he talked to the plain girl. It was Rosalie's first inclination to think of Bella as ugly, but truthfully that wasn't the case. Bella didn't have enough characteristics to be considered _anything _except for plain. But obviously Edward saw something else. Because the way he was looking at Bella…it was new. And Rosalie didn't like it. Not one bit.

********

This time, Edward answered the door when Bella showed up at four o'clock on the dot, to tutor him. She followed him, wordlessly, into the den and took her usual seat across from him in the den.

She removed the driving manuals, as well as the English homework, from her backpack. When Edward reached for the manuals with the yellow and blue automobiles on its cover, Bella put her hand on the documents to stop him.

"English first. Then the driver manual," she said.

If Bella expected Edward to put up a fight, she was pleasantly surprised. He simply shrugged and waited for her to tell him the next step.

"Okay, so since we're not only studying the English worksheets, I thought things might go faster if I just read the passages and answer choices, and you tell me which you think it is." Bella said as if she'd just come up with the idea. "You seem to be an auditory learner, anyway."

"A what learner?" Edward frowned.

"Auditory. It means you learn better when you hear it. It seemed that way when your dad had me read the sonnet out loud that day. It's no big deal. People have different learning styles. Like, I'm a visual learner. I have to physically see everything. Which is why I have to take notes in class, or I'd fail everything. You probably don't have that problem, since you seem to do so well with just hearing things."

Bella knew she was rambling, but the more she spoke, the more it sounded like she was saying there was something _wrong_ with Edward. She hoped he didn't interpret it that way.

"Whatever," Edward sighed.

And maybe it was her imagination, but he seemed…encouraged by her assessment of him.

Not wanting to waste time analyzing the moment, Bella quickly jumped into the assignment. Without trying to coax Edward into reading, Bella was surprised at how rapidly they progressed. She even managed to sneak an additional section in. Edward didn't even notice. But then it was time to uphold her end of the bargain and she reached for the driving manual.

"Okay, so I need to study this myself. I don't know how great a job I'll do as a tutor." Bella warned.

"Well…do you want to do the same thing…just read it to me. Since you said I'm an auditory learner," Edward quickly added.

"Sure. Sounds good," Bella stated.

She was about to begin reading when she abruptly put the manual down and turned to Edward.

"Can I ask you something?" she asked.

"What?" Edward was leery.

"Well…okay, so you told me not to tell anyone about what's going on here, and I didn't," Bella began, "so why is Rosalie giving me a hard time?"

"What?" Edward looked genuinely obtuse. "What'd she say?"

"She basically told me to stay away from you." Bella admitted.

"And what did you tell her?" Edward questioned with narrow eyes.

"Nothing," Bella shook her head quickly. "I assumed she already knew."

"Not unless you told her. I didn't say anything to her." Edward said. He looked almost amused. "When did this happen?"

"She's in my history class. First period. She already hates me because I accidentally sat in her seat on my first day."

Edward laughed. "She'll get over it."

Bella toyed with the edges of the manual for a moment. "Is she your…girlfriend, or something?"

"No, why?" Edward looked at Bella, empowered by her discomfort.

"I just figured…she seems a little…possessive of you," Bella concluded.

"Oh." Edward offered no more by way of explanation.

"So…just so you know, I didn't tell anyone about what's going on here. So…you can call off the hounds."

Edward silently wondered if this was why Bella had been looking around, scouring the "territory" outside of English class earlier. Had she been looking for Rosalie? It made perfect sense now. Although, it hadn't escaped his attention that she still apparently didn't believe him that he didn't tell Rosalie to approach Bella.

"I didn't tell her to say anything to you," Edward reiterated.

Bella nodded again before turning her attention back to the driving manual.

This time it was Edward who broke through the silence.

"So…do I have to watch my back for some jealous football player or something?" he asked.

To say that Bella misunderstood his comment was an understatement. She had absolutely no idea what he was asking her.

"What do you mean? Why?" Bella asked.

Edward shrugged. "I just want to know, you know. I mean, if you have a jealous boyfriend or something, I should probably know about it."

"Oh," Bella blushed with embarrassment at her incorrect reaction to the question. "No, I don't."

"You don't have a jealous boyfriend, or you don't have a boyfriend?" Edward pressed.

"I don't have a boyfriend." _Why did it sound so pathetic when she said it?_

Too humiliated to see Edward's response to her confession, Bella plunged into the reading material. Edward sat silently beside her, seemingly taking it all in. Just to be fair, Bella added an additional section of the driver's manual as well.

"Oh, um, Bella, I didn't realize you were still here," Esme paused on her way passed the den. "Would you like to stay for dinner?"

"Um…" Bella looked over at Edward. She didn't want to be rude, but she also knew how Edward was about his space.

"I don't care," Edward gestured as if to ask her why she was looking at him.

"Okay," Bella accepted. _Was she making a mistake? Was this against the unspoken rules Edward had set up?_

********

Esme and Carlisle smiled at each other from opposite ends of the dining table. In the three years that Edward had been a part of the Cullen family, Esme's insistence of sharing the evening meal as a family had always been met with resistance from Edward. He always tried to get out of it, and when he wasn't accommodated, he used rude humor and sarcastic jibes to make the meal as unpleasant as possible for the rest of the family.

But tonight was different. Occasionally, Edward would glance over at Bella and once he even went so far as to move the saltshaker within her reach. But other than that, Edward, in the presence of Bella Swan, was hardly a shadow of his usual self. His parents had no idea how long the effect Bella had on Edward would last, but for now they were basking in its peace.

And to the brown-haired beauty that sat to the right of Edward, they were truly grateful.

* * *

**Thanks to those who are reading. I would really appreciate some reviews. It really is a motivating factor in the update process. Thanks in advance!**


	9. Chapter 9

**The Tutor**

**Chapter 9 – Kiss & Tell**

"Maybe they don't teach the English language in whatever godforsaken place she lived in before," Rosalie ranted as she paced back and forth in front of the large mirror in the girls restroom of Forks High. "I mean, what else could 'leave Edward alone' mean?"

"You told her to stay away from Edward?" Jessica's head shot up. Up until that point, she had only been half-engaged in Rosalie's tirade. It had been going on far too long.

"Yeah," Rosalie almost laughed. "You should have seen her stupid little face. I scared the shit out of her."

Jessica shook her head. "You think Edward likes her?"

"Hell no!" Rosalie spoke too quickly to be convincing. "Why? Do you? Have you seen them together?"

"I saw him at her locker once, but it was a long time ago." Jessica stated truthfully.

"I'm gonna kill that bitch. I swear, I'm just gonna walk up to her after history and-" Rosalie slammed her fist into her other hand as a visual aid.

Jessica laughed, but again shook her head. "Well, for your sake, I hope Edward doesn't like her on two accounts. First, if you beat her up, you'll be on his shit list. And second, you'll be missing out on a royal opportunity."

"What opportunity?"

"Well, if Edward _does _like Bella-"

"Ugh. Don't even say her name," Rosalie hissed.

"Okay. If Edward does like that skank, then it would be much more effective to ruin it from the inside," Jessica said smugly.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Listen, Rose, if you make Bella your enemy, you're shutting yourself off from a wealth of information and ammunition. But if you befriend Bella – "

"You must be out of your fuckin' mind. I'm not gonna be seen in public with that social disease."

"Your choice. But I'm just saying…imagine getting everything you need to ruin that relationship, straight from the horse's mouth? What if she cheats on Edward and you're the one she confides in? Then you tell Edward and comfort him through his breakup…don't you know that's how it works? Befriending the competition is the oldest trick in the book."

"Okay, first of all, that girl is never going to break Edward's heart, because he's never going to give it to her; and second, who in their right mind would cheat on Edward?"

"Britney cheated on Justin," Jessica said, as if Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake were the answer to all of life's conundrums.

Rosalie thought Jessica was denser than mud if she was thought for a second that Rosalie would ever befriend Bella Swan.

As Rosalie sat during history, watching Bella, she found herself repulsed by every little thing the girl did. The way she absently pulled at strands of her long hair; her excessive blinking, as if she had something in her eye; the generic nature of her clothing – did she shop at a gas station? Why, oh why, on God's green earth would Edward want that? What was the draw? What was she like?

And suddenly she wanted to know. Stifling a sigh and rolling her eyes, Rosalie shuddered to realize that she was going to listen to Jessica…again.

********

Bella was walking along the uncovered hallway, lost in her own thoughts, when Angela bounded up to her.

"I haven't seen you in forever!" Angela said excitedly. "Where have you been hiding?"

"I haven't been hiding at all," Bella grimaced at Angela's over-exuberance. "I've been around."

"Oh. I must have missed you," Angela said quickly. "Anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to hang out after school. A bunch of us are going over to the bowling alley to play laser tag. It'll be a lot of fun."

_Laser tag?_ Bella couldn't hide her disinterest. Laser tag with a bunch of teenagers she didn't know sounded so…church-youth-group-ish.

"Um…" Bella struggled for a nice way to turn Angela down. After all, Angela had been the _only _person to invite her anywhere in the entire time she'd been in Forks. "I have to stay close to home today. My dad just got home from a fishing trip. He'd be pretty pissed if I took off." It was the best lie she could come up with on short notice. "Thanks for asking me though. It's nice to be asked." She meant that.

********

Jasper's attempt to transfer back into his cooking class with Alice had been a failed attempt. He wasn't looking forward to her pouting expression when he had to explain to her that she'd be responsible for her own tiramisu during the final.

Up ahead he saw his friends gathered together at their usual table in the quad, Alice among them. He trudged towards her, with his head down low.

"You didn't do it, did you?" Alice called out to him before he even reached the table.

Slowly he shook his head. And just as Jasper had expected, Alice began her pouting ritual.

Quickly, Jasper saddled up to her and put his arms around her waist. "Baby, it's going to be fine. I promise." He spoke next to her ear. "I'll help you make tiramisu every night until the final."

Rosalie looked over at Edward and rolled her eyes and the sappy display in front of them. When Edward smirked at her gesture, she saw that as an invitation to converse with him.

"They're nauseating, aren't they?" she said so that only Edward could hear.

"What else is new? They've always been sickening." Edward stated.

"It seems worse this time," Rosalie continued. When Edward simply shrugged in return, she knew that she was losing his interest. "So, what's up with you and the new girl?" she asked in an attempt to revive it.

"Maybe I should ask you the same question," Edward simply said in rebuttal. "I heard you tore into her for sitting in your seat."

"Who told you that?" Rosalie wondered how cozy he was with Bella. What kind of conversations they had.

"You went off on her in the middle of class. I can't even remember the number of people I heard it from."

Rosalie didn't believe him for a second, but she let it drop.

"Yeah, well. I may have overreacted."

"You think?"

Waiting the appropriate number of seconds before changing the subject, again Rosalie asked, "So, really…how do you know her?"

"Same way you do. She's in one of my classes."

********

It was very apparent to Edward that Rosalie had noticed the few times he'd spoken to Bella at school. For that reason, he'd decided to forego talking to her on Tuesday afternoon. It wasn't that big a deal. He didn't have much to say to her…although he'd happened to walk by Bella when that freakish looking, chess-playing nerd had asked her if she was "going tonight". _Going where? And was she going?_

But again, it wasn't something so important that he had to talk to her at school about it. He just waited until she was at his house on Wednesday to mention it.

"So, what's up with you and the chess club?" he asked Bella once they'd finished their English assignment and were about to move on to the driver's manual.

"Chess club?" Bella asked.

"All those dorks you're always talking to," Edward rolled his eyes in irritation at her literal interpretation of his question. "That girl with the glasses."

"Angela?" Bella clarified. "She's sweet."

"And that guy…so you like, hang out with him or something?"

Bella grimaced at the image she seemed unable to shake. "Actually, I barely know Angela. I think the guy you're talking about is Ben. He's Angela's boyfriend."

"Boyfriend," Edward scoffed. "More like _toy_friend."

Bella laughed despite not knowing what Edward meant. "What's a toyfriend?"

"Look at them. There's no way they're playing with anything except their toys when they're together. You can look at her and tell she's never even kissed a guy."

"That's not true," Bella said quickly. "Besides, I don't think it's a big deal if she hasn't kissed a guy…not that I know. I mean, she probably has…I don't know. Who cares, y'know?" Bella babbled, her face becoming more enflamed by the second.

Edward's right eyebrow arched as a smile danced upon his lips. He took in the sight before him: a thoroughly embarrassed and uncomfortable Bella. _Hmm…_

Edward smelled a weakness…and he decided to exploit it for all it was worth.

"I guess I shouldn't be so hard on her," he began, "I mean, it's got to be a little scary. Can you imagine getting this far in life without knowing how to kiss a guy? How terrifying their first date must have been." Edward said with faux concern.

Bella didn't bother to look up from the paper in front of her. "I'm sure she's not concerned about it."

"Who wouldn't be concerned about being a junior in high school and not knowing how to kiss?"

Bella shrugged. "Okay, so we can start on the road safety portion. It's a little long, but it seems pretty basic." She attempted to change the subject back to their studies.

"It might not be that big a deal for girls. I guess girls don't rate guys on their kissing skills. Guys totally do that shit. You should hear some of the things –"

"Edward," Bella said in exasperation, "you're totally making this whole thing up. Anyway, I'm sure Ben and Angela have kissed. Now, can we please-"

"Have you?"

Bella couldn't hide how the question flustered her. "I'm not answering that."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not. It's none of your business."

"Just tell me. How old were you the first time you kissed a guy."

Bella sat silently staring at the table, as if she was going to wait Edward out on giving up the topic of her kissing skills.

She surprised him when she finally met his gaze and asked a question of her own.

"How old were you?" Her downward gaze muted her question.

"Nine," he answered nonchalantly. "She was thirteen, though."

Bella's mouth opened in astonishment, but then she realized how ignorant she must have looked and she shut it quickly.

"Wow…that's some age difference."

Edward shrugged. "We seemed equally matched."

Silence took over as Bella sat awkwardly across from Edward. He watched her carefully and she dared look at him.

"How come you won't tell me?" he asked her again, realizing how much she wanted to avoid the topic.

Bella pointed to the section on road safety and hand signals. "You read that part and I'll read the next one."

Edward frowned. "Why? I thought you said I was an audio learner, or some shit like that."

Bella shrugged. "That's when I'm tutoring you. I'm not tutoring you in this. We're just…studying together."

"So. I still need to learn it," Edward stressed.

"Well so do I, and I can't do that when you keep asking me all these stupid questions. So, are we going to study this, or what?"

Edward was quiet for a moment as he took in Bella's countenance. _Wow…she's mad. _

"Fine. But you read it. Out loud." Edward acquiesced.

********

Bella felt like the world's biggest fool as she sat there listening to Edward go on and on about Angela and her inferior kissing skills. If he only knew how inadequate the girl who presently sat before him was.

Bella couldn't even boast having played Catch 'n Kiss on the playground in elementary school. Never…not one time had she ever kissed a boy. And up until that point, she hadn't really cared. She just figured that it would happen when it happened. There hadn't even been anyone that she wanted to kiss…well, there had been Kyle in seventh grade, but that crush only lasted for about two weeks, until he threw worms on her in science class.

And the worst thing was, it was almost as if Edward knew her deficiency and he wanted to make her admit it – something she refused to do. Especially after he'd gone on and on about how socially retarded a person who'd never been kissed was.

The anger and hurt came out of nowhere. Bella couldn't even rationalize to herself why Edward's words hurt so much. It was just his opinion, after all. Anyone else on the planet could have said what he'd said and she wouldn't have cared a bit. But when Edward said it…well…it just mattered.

Bella was counting the minutes until the study session was over – something she'd never done before (at least not since their very first session). She couldn't wait to get out of that house, away from Edward Cullen and hopefully away from her feelings of inadequacy.

"Bella, we're having roasted chicken for dinner tonight, what do ya say?" Esme stuck her head into the den and invited with a smile.

"Uh…I'm sorry, I can't. I have to…I have to get home. But thanks for inviting me. Chicken sounds great." Bella stammered.

"Well, I can pack some up for you if you'd like," Esme offered.

"No, that's okay." Bella hurried to zip up her backpack and avoided eye contact with Edward's mother.

Without glancing back at Edward, Bella gave Esme a slight wave before she hurried out of the Cullen home and dashed for her truck. It wasn't until she was alone in the driver's seat that she finally exhaled.

********

When Bella arrived at school the next morning, Edward was standing at her locker.

"Isn't this a little early for you?" Bella snapped at him as she approached.

"Well, aren't we touchy this morning," Edward said in a voice that revealed he was coming down with a cold.

"I thought you didn't want to be seen with me in public." Bella stated. "We wouldn't want anyone to think you were joining the chess club." When Bella looked over at Edward, she saw that he was watching her with an amused expression on his face. It infuriated her. "What?"

"You _are _mad." He said in discovery. "My mom kept asking me what I did to make you mad last night, but I told her I didn't do anything and that you weren't mad. But you are. She was right."

Bella offered no argument for her demeanor. She simply put books in her locker and took some out.

"So, what's up? Why are you mad?" Edward pressed.

"I'm just tired," Bella shook her head.

Edward moved to stand closer to her, closing the gap between them. He looked around before leaning over and nudging her with his shoulder. Softly he whispered, "I didn't mean anything by it. I was just messin' with ya."

"Mean anything by what?" Bella asked as she kept her eyes straight ahead on her locker.

Edward didn't say anything, but he watched Bella until she finally moved her eyes in his direction. When she finally looked at him, Edward winked at her and walked away.

Bella watched him as he disappeared. A blush radiated from her neck to the tips of her ears and she touched her lips to feel the smile that resided there. Feeling whole and adequate, Bella walked to class.


	10. Chapter 10

**The Tutor**

**Chapter 10 – Question & Answer**

Just when Bella was beginning to think she was invisible to the mass population of Forks High, attention started to dribble her way. What first appeared as an accidental bumping into, turned into an introduction to Mike Newton and his "crew". Fifteen minutes into a very one-sided conversation, Bella realized that Mike thought she ought to feel privileged that he had graced her with his presence.

"So, I've seen you around, but I just hadn't gotten around to meeting you," Mike prattled. "I don't think we have any classes together."

"Nope." Bella looked around, a signal that she needed to get to her first class.

"What about sports? Thinking about going out for anything?" Mike went on.

"No. I'm not really into that." Bella frowned and shook her head.

"Huh…I would have figured you for a swimmer…or a gymnast." Mike grinned.

The warning bell sounded and Bella started backing away from him. "Nope. Neither of those…uh…well, I guess I'll see ya around."

"Yeah, okay. Table three at lunch. It's in the middle of the cafeteria." Mike called out to her.

_The tables had table numbers?_ Bella wouldn't know. She'd never eaten inside of the cafeteria.

As she headed towards history, Bella wondered if the new shirt and jeans she was wearing made a statement about her that was attracting attention. That certainly hadn't been her intention when she'd bought them.

Mrs. Kenner was at her desk speaking with another student about an upcoming test when Bella entered the classroom. The seat she preferred to sit in was occupied, so Bella took a seat towards the middle of the classroom. In a matter of seconds another student came and sat down beside her. Bella thought nothing of it, until she saw that the student was Rosalie Hale. Immediately her heart rate increased.

"Hey." Rosalie looked over at Bella.

Bella gave a tentative glance to make sure Rosalie was talking to her. When she saw that she was, Bella offered a tight-lipped smile and a non-committal nod.

"So listen, I wanted to talk to you about something," Rosalie began. She paused long enough to wave over her dark-haired friend, a short girl who Bella remembered as a cheerleader at the last pep rally. "We had a little misunderstanding."

"About what?" Bella asked skeptically. She was pretty sure that this was going to end up with her being the butt of some sort of joke.

"Edward," Rosalie stated flatly. "He's a good friend of mine and I had heard a rumor that I thought you started."

"Why would you think that?" Bella interrupted.

"Someone told me," Rosalie waved away the question quickly. "Anyway, Edward and I have always kind of looked out for one another…so… I was just looking out for him that day I told you to stay away from him."

"Ah," Bella nodded as if she was going along with the story.

"But now that I know that you and Edward are friends…well, I guess it doesn't really matter."

"What doesn't really matter?" Bella was having trouble following Rosalie's logic. However, she steered away from confirming or denying her friendship status with Edward.

"What was said. I mean, since we're both friends with Edward." Rosalie stated. She looked like she was even trying to convince herself of what she was saying.

"Oh," Bella eyed her with caution.

"And, uh, this is Alice," Rosalie finally introduced the girl sitting to her right. Bella recognized her as Rosalie's sidekick.

Alice half-smiled at Bella before looking over at Rosalie. She looked like she had a million questions about what was going on. _Me too, Alice. Me, too._

Bella turned her attention back to Mrs. Kenner at the front of the room, signaling that the discussion, if that's even what it was, was over.

_Yep. It must be the new outfit._

********

Edward approached his English classroom as Bella was walking up from the other direction. Their eyes met at the same exact moment and Edward noticed that Bella almost smiled at him before she averted her eyes to the ground. He considered saying something to her but that jackass, Mike Newton, got in her face at that moment.

"Oh, hey, now I remember what I wanted to ask you earlier," Mike started. "My friend Chris is having a party. Since you don't really know many people here, I thought you might like to come."

Edward didn't bother sticking around for Bella's answer. He walked into the classroom and Miss Teale immediately bounded up to him.

"Edward! I just wanted to let you know how pleased I am with your progress. Also, we have a test coming up next week, and if you can keep this momentum with your homework and class assignments, you'll have no problem."

It was a small victory for Edward. It was nice to get a good report from a teacher, for once, but he knew there was no way he was going to pass that test next week. He and Bella had been working on the classwork together, as well as the homework. But Miss Teale definitely wasn't going to let them collaborate on a test. And what would it look like when he failed miserably? They'd probably think he'd cheated on everything else.

Cheating…Now _there's_ an idea.

********

It was fish night at the Cullen home and Esme was tossing a green salad to go along with the halibut she'd just finished baking when Edward came into the kitchen from upstairs.

"Um, so is…are you guys really going to buy me a car if I pass this year?"

"That's what Dad said," Esme stated, addressing Carlisle in the manner in which Edward was trying to avoid.

The kitchen fell silent except for Esme's movements about the kitchen. In fact, Edward was so quiet that Esme had thought he'd gone until she glance over at the doorway of the kitchen and saw him still standing there. He looked as if he was wrestling with the idea of something. Esme didn't bother him, figuring he'd speak up when he was ready.

He did.

"Do you make all the arrangements for my tutoring? You and Bella?"

"Yes. Why?"

Edward ignored his mother's question and continued. "So, do I have to go through you if I needed to ask her a question?"

Esme softly laughed as she rolled her eyes. "Of course not, Edward. What's this about?"

"Nothing. I just don't have a way to get a hold of Bella…unless we're at school. I kind of wanted to ask her something."

"Her telephone number is on the bulletin board by the phone…it's the only telephone number posted there."

"Oh." Edward glanced to the bulletin board that hung over the phone table. "Yeah…so I might call her…later. Because I have to ask her something…" Edward trailed off. He stood in the kitchen awkwardly for a few more minutes before bounding back up the stairs.

Esme waited until she heard his bedroom door shut before she collapsed against the sink in quiet laughter. It was in this condition that her husband found her.

"Hitting the cooking wine again, eh Esme?" Carlisle joked.

Esme looked upward towards the stairs to make sure they were alone. "Edward just had one of those moments where he reminded me how _young_ he really is. Most of the time I feel like he's lived a thousand lifetimes, and then every once in a while, he acts like a boy…I just love it when he acts like that." Esme hugged herself with the spirit of the moment. She looked over at Carlisle with a mischievous grin, "He likes Bella."

"That's obvious," Carlisle stated as he placed a raw snow pea in his mouth.

"Apparently to everyone, except for Edward." Esme smiled. "He wanted her telephone number but he was too embarrassed to ask me for it. He had this long, convoluted explanation of why he needed to call her. It was so cute."

All traces of humor left Carlisle's face as he turned serious. "What do you think of Bella…I mean, for Edward?"

Esme sighed. "She seems so innocent. On the one hand, she's exactly the kind of girl I'd love to see Edward with…but on the other hand, she's exactly the kind of girl that I'd try to keep away from a guy like Edward."

********

The house phone rang so infrequently at the Swan home that the jingle of it always sounded so foreign to Bella. And it almost never rang after seven-thirty on a weeknight.

The caller ID said "Cullen" and Bella assumed it was Esme calling to change the date for an upcoming tutoring session.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Bella?" a male voice whispered.

"Edward?"

"Were you expecting Mike?"

"Who?"

"Nothing. Anyway, did you know about a test in English?"

"Yeah. Peale mentioned it a few times."

"Oh. Well, not that I care, but if I pass it, I'm getting a car…so…you know."

"You'll pass it. We've been studying for it."

"We have?"

"Yeah."

"Oh. Well I guess I was too distracted last time by your kissing conversation."

_Oh not this again. _"That was your conversation, not mine."

"That's right. And I'm still waiting for you to answer my question."

"No!"

"Why not?"

"Why do you want to know so badly?"

"You know stuff about me. I'm just trying to even things up a bit."

"I don't know anything about you. Well, except for where you live and that you have a little sister and two parents."

"Well that's more than I know about you. Where do you live?"

"Just past Wolf Creek, by the footbridge." Bella answered.

"And you're from Italy?" Edward asked, as if he were writing a report.

Bella laughed. "Gotta love small towns," she said. "Actually, no. I've been to Italy because my dad was in the Navy, but I'm from Phoenix. That Italy thing started because I used a passport as a form of identification and Mrs. Cope in the office asked me where I'd been. I've only been to Italy, so that's what I told her and I guess she told all the teachers. When my history teacher asked me about it, I just wanted to get it over with so I just went with it." Bella explained.

"Oh."

"So, there. You know stuff about me, too."

"You still know more about me."

"No, I don't."

"You know why you're tutoring me. No one else knows about that."

"Because you're failing English?"

"And…"

"And?"

"Are you going to pretend you don't know?"

Bella considered playing dumb for a moment, but that was condescending and she didn't want to appear that way. And since it almost seemed like a dream sequence that she was having this conversation with Edward Cullen in the first place, she admitted her knowledge about his shortcoming with reading.

"I know." she whispered. "But…like…do you just not like to read or do you not know…how?"

"I don't like reading," Edward confirmed. "And nobody ever really made me. So…I just didn't."

"But you can?"

"Yeah, some stuff."

"Oh." Bella decided not to press him. She was surprised he'd been as honest about it as he had. She knew it had to have been hard for him. So to be fair, against her better judgment, she answered the question he'd been trying to get out of her. "When I was twelve, my cousin kissed me at our other cousin's wedding."

"On the mouth?" Edward asked.

"No! On the cheek." Bella corrected.

"Then that doesn't count."

"I know it doesn't." Bella sighed. "So there you have it. Go on, laugh all you want."

Edward didn't laugh. He didn't say anything – and that was almost worse.

"So you've never had a boyfriend or anything?"

Bella wondered what qualified as "or anything" before she answered him, "Nope."

"Why? Parents religious fanatics or something?"

Bella laughed. "No. My mom moved around a lot and I was always the new kid at school and I just didn't get to know very many people."

"Oh."

The conversation ended abruptly and Bella's mind raced with ways to restart the conversation or end it gracefully, she wasn't sure which she wanted to do.

"Bella…I need a favor," Edward finally stated.

"What, you'll teach me to kiss if I teach you to read?" Bella attempted a joke.

"I know how to read," Edward said, frustrated.

"It was a joke," Bella stated quickly. _And a bad one at that._ Suddenly she felt like the world's biggest loser. _Why did I say that?_

"Anyway, I was wondering about that test in English…like, I dunno…maybe you could help me…you know…"

"Yeah, I told you we've already been studying for it. And we'll keep studying."

"Yeah, but we can't talk during the test. What if I don't understand a question or something? You can help me out…not with every answer, but a few. I just need a C."

Bella finally realized what Edward was asking. "Edward, we can't cheat. We could get suspended…not to mention a failing grade on the test."

"We won't get caught."

"Edward, we're not cheating," Bella stated firmly. "We won't need to. I promise. I give you my word that you won't fail the test."

As the words left her mouth, Bella knew that she would have to do everything within her power to make sure they came true; for tonight had marked a new level in her "relationship" with Edward Cullen. Whatever they were to one another was almost identifiable.

********

Edward stared at the phone that evening after he'd finished his call with Bella. It was perhaps the weirdest, and longest telephone conversation he'd ever had. It had been his goal to get Bella to agree to allow him to copy her answers on the upcoming English test. Although she'd adamantly denied him that request, there was something else that he'd accomplished.

Ever since he'd seen her talking to Mike Newton, Edward had had a gnawing discontent deep within that he couldn't quite put his finger on. And while he didn't want to lay any claim to Bella, he didn't want anyone else to either…at least not until he could figure out what it was about her that made him care at all whether or not she liked Mike Newton.

But that little "joke" she'd made about teaching him to read if he taught her to kiss – that was not Freudian. She knew exactly what she was saying. And if she didn't, Edward surely did.


	11. Chapter 11

**The Tutor**

**Chapter 11 – Learning to Inhale**

Bella tested the Raisin Bran in the bowl in front of her, making sure it was soggy enough to be void of all crunchiness before she brought it to her mouth. Her father appeared from the hallway at that moment and took a seat across from her at the kitchen table.

"I'm over at Black's house tonight. You want to come by after school?" her father asked.

Bella shook her head adamantly. The last time she'd agreed to an outing at the Black's, she'd been bored beyond reason. She remembers watching the minute hand move with the tick of each second on their living room clock.

"No. I have stuff to do around here anyway. I have a test to study for." Bella stated.

"On a Friday night?" Charlie Swan looked at his daughter disapprovingly. Not that every father didn't love the idea of his daughter being safe at home, rather than at some loud and obnoxious party, but Charlie also wanted Bella to be well-rounded, socially. The thought of her at home, all by her lonesome, while he was out with friends kind of made him feel guilty.

"Well…I guess I could go up to Peak Point and get drunk afterwards, if that'll make you feel better." Bella joked.

Charlie rolled his eyes at her sarcasm. "And was I dreaming, or did I hear the phone ring last night?"

"Oh, yeah. That was for me."

"Who was it, your mom?" Charlie asked, sure of her answer. He was only half listening as he used a shoehorn to get his boot on.

"No, it was a … friend from school."

Charlie noticed the hesitation in Bella's voice and it caused him to sit up and take notice. "A female friend, or a male friend?"

"Actually, it was Edward. You know, the guy I've been tutoring in English?"

"What'd he want?"

"To talk about an upcoming English test. He's a little worried about it." It wasn't a _complete_ lie.

Charlie looked Bella up and down, as if he were trying to decide whether or not he should believe her. Finally he shrugged and finished putting on his shoes. "You sure you don't want to meet me out at La Push? Sue is grilling up trout."

"As tempting as that sounds, I still think I'll pass," Bella stated as she stood up to put her cereal bowl in the sink. The mention of dinner caused her to check in the refrigerator to see what her options were for the last meal of the day. The contents were scarce. Well at least she now had something to do on a Friday night in a freakishly boring town: grocery shop.

********

Alice was so tired that she'd considered staying home from school, but as the rules stood, if a cheerleader missed school on a game day, they couldn't cheer at the game – and Alice had worked way too hard on the routine to skip it now. So even though she was dead on her legs, she drug herself up to Jasper before her first class.

"I'm not going to make it," she said dramatically.

Jasper smirked at her exaggeration and kissed her on the forehead. "I can sneak coffee for you out of the teacher's lounge," he offered.

Alice made a face. "No thanks. That stuff tastes and smells like road kill."

"So, I guess you're not going to want to go out tonight after the game." Jasper hinted.

"I don't know. I'm tired. But what's going on?"

"I haven't heard about anything much. So far, just some lame party that Newton's trying to pimp."

"Ugh. Not even." Alice rolled her eyes. "We could go to the drive-in. I'm up for that. Maybe we could double with…" Alice thought pensively. "Jasper, our friends seriously need better social lives. There's no one to double date with!"

"We could ask my brother-"

"Hell no! Last time we went to that concert in the park, his date gave him a blowjob right there on the lawn. That was so gross, not to mention embarrassing."

"She was under a blanket."

"So. It's not like everyone didn't know what they were doing."

"How's that any different from when we went to the sculpture park?"

"Sssh!" Alice looked around frantically. "I thought we agreed never to bring that up in public," she hissed.

Jasper stared at her before a dark grin overtook his face. "But it was hot, wasn't it?"

Alice giggled as she nodded.

"So, I guess we can ask Rosalie if she wants to go to the drive-in. Who will she bring?"

"Who will she bring, or who will she ask? Because she's going to ask Edward."

"And he's not gonna go."

"I know. I wish she'd let it go already. It's getting tiresome watching her throw herself at him."

"Okay, so don't ask her. Who else?"

"Well, not Edward. Because if he brings anyone then Rosalie will make me spend the next ten years giving her every little detail."

"He wouldn't go anyway. He doesn't go on dates."

"That's because he's a mut."

"A _mut?"_

"You know…dog, male slut…"

"Alice, stop inventing words that no one else uses."

Just then Edward appeared and Jasper and Alice had to cut their conversation short, lest Edward heard them.

Jasper situated himself so that he could talk to Edward, while still holding Alice against his torso.

"What're you up to tonight?" Jasper asked. Alice listened, half interested.

Edward shrugged. Alice noticed the way he never really looked at them. Instead his eyes panned the campus in search of something else.

"We might go to a movie," Jasper offered, watching Edward for a reaction.

The only evidence that Edward heard what Jasper said was that he frowned and shook his head.

As Edward and Jasper interacted, Alice followed Edward's gaze to see what he was looking at. Her eyes landed upon Bella Swan, who had been at Forks High long enough for the term 'new girl' to no longer apply.

Alice had though Rosalie's musings were unwarranted and paranoid. But now, seeing the way Edward was watching _her,_ Alice was almost persuaded to agree with Rosalie. Maybe Edward's interest was peaked with the not-so-new-anymore girl, Bella.

********

En route to her second class, Bella passed the picnic table that Edward was often perched upon with his friends. Today was no exception, however, this time, Edward was alone. Because of this, Bella looked up at him, and when they made eye contact, she didn't look away. Neither did he.

After a short eternity, Edward raked his fingers through his hair before gesturing for her to approach him with a slight jerk of his head.

"Hey," Bella greeted him when she was close enough for him to hear her. Internally, she rejoiced that none of his friends were around. Even though she didn't know them, they were intimidating – especially Rosalie, who seemed determined to be her next BFF.

"How come you're always alone every time I see you?" Edward asked directly.

"I don't really know anyone here." Bella answered.

Edward's gaze was prolonged and intense, as if he were willing her to say something else. Finally he surrendered with a simple mumble that simply implied that he'd heard her.

As Bella was wondering why Edward had motioned her over to him, Edward was clearing his throat to speak again.

"So…you goin' to that party tonight?" he asked.

"Mike Newton's? Nah." Bella stated. She knew her antisocial behavior was the main reason she was often alone, but Mike Newton and his lemmings were not people she wanted to spend any amount of time with. _Now, if someone else were to ask her out…say, a certain young man with rust-colored hair and a penchant for trouble…_

Bella felt betrayed by her subconscious as that thought entered her mind. _What was that?_ But it was too late. Her body reacted and her face took on a reddish hue as she blushed.

"So, what are you doin'?" Edward asked. He'd noticed her flushed coloring. He appeared amused.

"Grocery shopping," Bella blurted out. _Okay, it's official. .'.dork. Seriously. It takes skills to be this pathetic. _

Edward raised his eyebrows, as if he wasn't sure Bella was kidding. She could tell he was about to say something caustic, but she beat him to it.

"I know, it's lame." She said.

"Lame doesn't even begin to describe it," Edward laughed.

The bell rang, putting an end to Bella's anguish and torture. "You comin'?" Bella asked as she pointed toward the class.

As soon as the words left her mouth, Bella realized she'd paved a way for rejection. Maybe he didn't want to walk to class with her. After all, he had previously made it known that he didn't want to be seen with her at school…_hadn't he?_ But he had called her over to him just now so…

Edward's next action ended Bella's enter dialogue. He simply slid off the tabletop and stood next to her with his hands deep in his jacket pockets.

"I need a cigarette," He murmured as they ambled towards the class they shared.

Bella noticed the curious glances of her peers as she and Edward walked side-by-side. Nobody really stood out; it was simply a sea of faces as they walked in silence. Except for one. One face demanded to be acknowledged as Edward and Bella sauntered by. Acknowledged by Bella, that is. Edward seemed none the wiser as Rosalie eyeballed them as they sauntered by. But Bella noticed. And even though Rosalie's features morphed into a forced smile, Bella saw something else hidden there, and though she couldn't quite identify it, her body knew exactly how to react. Bella shuddered.

********

Miss Teale's class had reminded Bella of her promise to Edward that she'd make sure he passed the upcoming test. It wasn't that she'd really forgotten about it, she just had to put some thought into how she was going to make good on that promise.

Ever since Edward had laid her suspicions to rest about his reading ability, or rather, lack thereof, Bella had been pondering the best way to help him without making him feel like a "project".

Despite her best intentions, Bella could only come up with one idea in regards to how to help Edward. And she wasn't sure it was something he would appreciate, but it was all she had. So, trading in her free period for her last class of the day, Bella left the school campus early and headed to her truck, praying all the way that she wasn't making a mistake.

********

Esme had just tied the knot on her garden apron when she heard a soft rapping on her front door. She glanced at the clock and figured it was probably the mail delivery service. Carlisle had been receiving lots of packages since he signed on to do pharmaceutical research.

"Bella?" Esme questioned as she glanced out the window before opening the door. "Why aren't you in school?" Esme questioned.

"I had a free period. I hope it's okay that I just dropped by," Bella lowered her eyes as she spoke.

"Of course. But Edward isn't here. He's at school…" Esme frowned, knowing she'd stated the obvious.

"I know. That's why I came now. I wanted to talk to you…alone." Bella shifted her weight from one foot to the other in nervous anticipation.

"Sure, sure. Come on in," Esme stepped aside and allowed Bella to enter into the grand foyer. "Is everything alright? Has Edward done something?"

"No, everything's fine," Bella stammered as she followed Esme to the living room and took the seat that Esme guided her towards.

Esme's anxiety level peaked as she waited for Bella to explain her presence. It was nerve-wracking to have patience at this moment. She leaned forward to glean all that Bella had to say. "What is it?" she asked with concern.

"Well…Edward and I have been working hard at his English and he's doing well…" Bella paused to smile at Esme.

Esme felt herself relax infinitesimally. "Yes, I've been meaning to call you and let you know how much Dr. Cullen and I appreciate what you're doing for Edward. His teacher sent a note home saying how much he's improving. We really are thankful."

Bella nodded. After the accolades, her words seemed to come easier. "We've found a system that works well for us…to study, but there's a test coming up," Bella faltered, "and since Edward doesn't read –"

"Well," Esme interjected. "Edward doesn't read _well_, but he can read."

Again, Bella nodded. Edward had also insisted he could read, but Bella had never witnessed it herself, so she wasn't certain of his skill level. However, one thing was for certain: he wasn't going to be able to pass Miss Teale's test on his own.

"He has trouble reading the sonnets and passages in our English books," Bella restated. "He has no problem comprehending the material once he's heard it –"

"It's because he's very bright," Esme interrupted again. "He might have a hard time with some of the text, but he's not a dumb kid."

"I totally agree," Bella said quickly. "Edward's extremely smart. I saw it in our very first tutoring session. He's very quick-witted."

Esme seemed confused. At first she'd thought Bella was here to say that she could no longer help Edward, that his deficiency was beyond her, but now it seemed as if she was in agreement with Esme that Edward was smart. So what was the problem? She asked her as much and Bella was quick to respond.

"I promised Edward that I would make sure he passed the test in English, but the only way I can think of to do that is to have the test read to him and there's no way the teacher is going to let me do that since I'm taking the same test." Bella summed up the reason for her visit.

Esme's features softened as she took in the concern of the young girl before her. Bella's desire for Edward to succeed obviously had nothing to do with simply being seen as a successful tutor. She appeared to have Edward's best interests at heart. It was for this reason alone that Esme let her guard down and freely shared a little bit about her intentions where Edward was concerned.

"Did Edward tell you he's adopted?" Esme asked.

"He hinted," Bella stated.

Esme nodded as she went on, "Yes, well he's been with us for a little over three years now. He lived in a foster home for awhile where the family decided to homeschool him," Esme made finger-quotations around the word _homeschool_. "Which, in and of itself, isn't bad. But the woman was not proficient enough to teach Edward and he just got passed through the system. Now, in order to get him the help that he needs, I'd have to put him in special education, and you know Edward – he's not going to go along with that. The minute he turned eighteen, he'd drop out of school. So, his father and I decided to have him work with you, since you know his specific coursework, and once he's a little more comfortable, we're going to hire a literacy coach for him." Esme looked as if she'd uncovered a family secret. "Can you not mention the literacy coach to him? He doesn't know about it yet. I want to wait until he has a success under his belt before I put something else on him."

"I won't mention it," Bella assured her.

"You're probably wondering why I'm telling you all of this," Esme laughed. "But, I just wanted to make sure that even if it looks like we're not helping Edward, we are doing everything we can to make sure he succeeds."

"No, I can tell. Edward's really lucky."

"And the school does know about Edward's reading level, I just suspect they aren't paying that close attention and I'm not broadcasting anything. So asking them to allow him to have a reader for a test could be a tricky move…" Esme trailed off as she pondered.

"How's Edward's vision?" Bella asked.

A sly grin slowly spread across Esme's face as she realized what Bella was insinuating. "I like how you think, Bella Swan."

********

"Why are we here?" Alice whined as she put her sneakered-feet on the dashboard of Jasper's car. "I'm tired. I want to go home!"

Jasper hated this place. Location? Right between his best friend and his girlfriend.

Edward had been distant for several weeks, and Jasper was starting to feel the void of their friendship. Then, suddenly, it looked as if Edward was coming around again and Jasper didn't want to squander the opportunity to spend time with his friend. But he also wanted to be there for Alice. So, after spending three hours watching Alice cheerlead for a defeated Forks High, Jasper offered to take Edward to the store, when Edward had mentioned that he needed to go. Thinking it was going to be a short trip, Jasper had brought Alice along. However, upon arrival at Thriftway, it became apparent that Edward was planning on staying awhile.

On any other day, it wouldn't have been a big deal. On Friday nights, a lot of the kids from school hung out in the Thriftway parking lot because there wasn't much else to do. But on this night in particular, Alice had had her fill of the "popular" crowd, who wanted so badly to enthrone her; she didn't want to spend another second around them. That night's sporting event had been more than enough.

Edward got out of Jasper's car and slammed the door. He walked over to the edge of the store before lighting a cigarette and taking a drag.

With the promise of a prompt return to Alice, Jasper got out of the car and followed after Edward.

"Man, you need to shut your girl up," Edward said casually. "She's getting on my fuckin' nerves."

"She's just tired." Jasper stuck up Alice.

"Then take her ass home," Edward suggested.

"You ready to go?" Jasper asked.

Edward shook his head. "Nah, just leave me here."

"Leave you here?" Jasper asked. "Why?"

"Because." It was the only explanation Edward offered.

Jasper knew at that moment that something was going on, but he also knew that Edward wouldn't answer a direct question about it, so he simply shrugged and looked over his shoulder, at Alice, who was impatiently waiting in the front seat of his car.

"Okay, well, I'll drop off Alice and then I'll come back and get you." Jasper offered.

Edward shook his head. "Just leave me here. I'll call you if I need you." Edward turned his head and exhaled a plume of smoke.

Jasper resigned and walked back to his car to give Alice the good news that she was going home. Just as he put the key into the ignition, he looked up in time to see a girl exit the store. Her plastic grocery bag split at the seam and all of its contents crashed onto the storefront sidewalk. Jasper laughed and hurriedly looked over at Edward to see if he had witnessed the girl's misfortune as well.

Not only had Edward seen it, but he had moved from his location against the walk and was kneeling down before the girl, picking up the contents of the bag.

Straining closer, Jasper saw that it wasn't just a girl, it was _the_ girl.

The girl who Rosalie had been talking about nonstop for almost two weeks.

The girl who Alice had mentioned in passing on more than one occasion.

The girl who Edward had admonished Jasper for – simply because Jasper had unknowingly spoken to her the day he'd tried to make Alice jealous.

Edward's gesture of picking up the groceries was small enough to go unnoticed by others, but it was large enough for Jasper to know that this, the girl – this was Edward's "_because_".

********

Mortification was not a strong enough word to describe how Bella felt when her bag broke and all of its contents spilled out for the world to see. And then, as if to make matters worse, Edward (_Edward!_) was the one who came over to help her retrieve them.

"I told that lady this needed to be double-bagged," Bella mumbled as she tried to scrape up her dignity, along with the cans of chili that had rolled to the curb.

_Please don't let this be the bag with the tampons in it._

"Here," Edward offered her a bag of tortilla chips.

Bella quickly stuffed it into one of the other intact bags and headed over to her truck. Edward picked up the remaining bags that were still sitting on the sidewalk and followed after her, depositing them into the back of her truck.

"What are you doing here?" Bella asked Edward once the bags were secured.

"Just hangin' out," Edward stated.

Bella took in the crowd of people and crinkled her nose. They didn't look like people Edward would rub shoulders with.

"Really?" she asked skeptically.

An uneven smile faintly appeared on Edwards mouth. "My ride bailed." He said.

"Oh," Bella fleetingly glanced towards the cab of her truck. It was clean enough. "Do you want a ride?"

Edward shrugged. "Sure."

Bella unlocked her truck and they both climbed in. Bella watched out of the corner of her eye as Edward left his door open while he took a final drag off his cigarette and exhaled before flicking it out into the parking lot and shutting his door.

"Where to?" she asked.

Edward glanced back at the groceries in the truck bed and motioned towards them. "Do you want to drop that stuff off first?"

Bella remembered the half-gallon of ice cream and nodded. "Okay."

As she took off in the direction of her house, Bella got nervous. She was taking someone to her house. A boy. And not just any boy – it was Edward freakin' Cullen.

It was a short distance to the Swan home from Thriftway, so in a matter of moments Bella and Edward were once again handling her groceries as they removed them from the back of the truck.

Fumbling with her keys at the front door, Bella's mind raced to remember what the state of the house was on the other side of the door. Were there dishes in the kitchen sink? Had her dad left dishes in the living room from when he'd watched the game? What did her house smell like? Every house had its own smell…was her's good or bad?

The answers to those questions became a moot point as Edward entered right on her heels. He followed her to the kitchen and set the bags down on the small table.

"Who's here?" he asked quietly.

"Just us," Bella answered.

In response, Edward took a cigarette and lighter out from his jacket pocket.

"You can't smoke in here," Bella said in alarm.

Edward grinned. "I wasn't going to." He pointed toward the small interior door in the kitchen, indicating where he was headed.

"Oh."

The door led to the backyard. Once Bella had put away her groceries, she joined him outside.

Edward was leaned up against the back of her house, blowing smoke towards the trees. The fact that he was even there seemed surreal, and Bella quickly ran back over the events that had transpired to get them to this moment. Each time she glanced over at him, he was watching her.

Suddenly he lifted his hand and offered her his cigarette. "Do you smoke?"

"No," Bella shook her head.

"Have you ever tried it?" Edward asked.

Again Bella answered, "No."

Edward neared her, still with the cigarette extended. "It's not really a decision until you've had a chance to make a choice," he said.

Bella stared at the cigarette for a long time. When her eyes darted around to make sure no one else was watching, she knew she was going to give in to him. He knew it, too.

Bella leaned forward just as Edward brought the cigarette he held between two fingers to Bella's lips.

Edward made no attempt to let go of the cigarette, and Bella made no attempt to hold it on her own. Instead, ever so softly, Edward pressed his two fingers against her full lips and she inhaled the nicotine slowly through her mouth.

The act seemed so sensual that Bella closed her eyes to keep her mind from being over stimulated by all that the moment entailed. Edward's fingers momentarily caressed her lips as he slowly removed the cigarette.

Bella exhaled.

She opened her eyes to see Edward staring down at her. Immediately she blushed, realizing how silly she must have looked, closing her eyes to smoke a cigarette.

"No choking or sputtering…are you sure this is your first time…with a cigarette?" Edward didn't try hard to conceal in innuendo.

If she hadn't already been cloaked in crimson from her earlier humiliation, she definitely would be now.

"First time," She smiled up at him. She considered reiterating that, now that she'd tried it, she knew without a doubt that she didn't smoke. However, there was no way that she could coherently string those words together. Because at that moment, Edward's face was slowly descending towards hers.

With her eyes on his lips, she watched as they came closer…closer…_closer…_

And then she closed her eyes, awaiting the instant when she'd feel his mouth on hers.

It never came.

Instead, she felt his hot breath on her ear as he whispered, "I guess you're a natural."

The sound of a door slamming eclipsed Bella's shame at the misunderstanding of the preceding minutes.

"Bella?" her father's booming voice reverberated off the windows.

Bella's eyes grew wide with worry.

"Put it out! Put it out!" she whispered in urgency to Edward regarding his cigarette.

Calmly, Edward squashed the cigarette with his shoe before kicking it into the grass where it was hidden from sight.

Bella heard the back door open and Charlie Swan, Father, appeared before her. As soon as he saw Edward, however, Father disappeared and was replaced by Retired Police Chief.

"What's going on here?" he asked.

"Uh…um…" Bella stammered.

"My ride bailed on me and Bella was giving me a ride home, but she had to unload some groceries first. She said she's not allowed to have anyone in the house when you're not here, so I was waiting out here for her." Edward explained. His calm demeanor never faltered.

Charlie looked from Bella to Edward and then back to Bella.

"Oh," he conceded.

"Dad, this is Edward. Edward…this is my dad," Bella introduced.

Bella noted that Charlie offered Edward an evasive head nod, in some Alpha male ritualistic sort of way. Edward received it and nodded in return. The word awkward didn't even begin to cover it.

"Okay, well I'm gonna run Edward home now," Bella broke through the silence. "See ya in a few."

"You're coming straight back here?" Charlie suggested rather than asked.

"Yeah. I'll be right back." Bella said as she and Edward disappeared through the side gate.

********

Charlie sat in his recliner listening to Bella profusely explain that Edward was nothing more than a friend. She corroborated his story over and over that she had merely stopped in to put away groceries before taking him home. And sure, there was enough evidence to support the story – there _were _groceries in the house and the time-stamped receipt indicated that she hadn't been home long before Charlie had arrived home.

But there was something there. Something his years of police training had qualified him to take notice of. The eyes. The emotion in Edward's eyes defied the overabundance of Bella's use of the word _friend_.

Charlie wouldn't be unnerved by the lusty adoration of a teenaged boy. That was normal and to be expected. But this…what he saw…it was something more…something terrifying. But perhaps what made matters worse, almost unbearable to acknowledge, was that Charlie had seen the same emotion in Bella's eyes.

Suddenly he wanted to take it all back – his comments about her social behavior. His wanting her to go out and mingle with kids her own age. He had gotten what he'd asked for and now his daughter was being lost to something outside of his control.


	12. Chapter 12

**The Tutor**

**Chapter 12 – Uncharted Territory**

The fringe of Esme's pale blue skirt peeked out from the bottom of the tailored trench coat she pulled tightly around her body. Rain speckled the light brown color as she made her way from the parking lot to the office. She pulled up her collar as she quickly darted towards the counseling office, hoping to remain concealed from the majority of the student population. Actually, there was only one student in particular she was hoping not to be spotted by. And she didn't expect to find him, as she had been assured that he would be otherwise engaged.

********

"Not gonna happen," Edward said with all the tenacity of a toddler refusing to eat strained peas.

"Okay…but it's your last chance to study and you said you wanted to pass this test…" Bella hinted.

Edward looked around at his fellow schoolmates. "You're making too big a deal out of this," he said.

Translation: _This is a big deal, but I don't want anyone else to know that I think that._

Bella had been trying to convince Edward to use his free period to go into the library and study for the big test they had coming up second period. However, Edward was adamantly against it.

"Edward, you think any of these people would do anything less for a _car_?" Bella reminded him of his awaiting reward.

At the mention of the car, Edward seemed to reconsider using his free period to study. Bella saw the small window of opportunity and seized it.

"Here, I made these notes for you yesterday," she reached in her backpack and pulled out a few index cards. "It's not a lot, just a few key points…and I wrote them out phonetically."

Bella looked up to see Edward staring at her quizzically as he accepted the cards.

"I wrote the words the way they sound when you say them, instead of how they're actually spelled."

Edward looked irritated as he accepted the cards and Bella briefly wondered if she'd done the wrong thing. Maybe her actions had been an insult. Her intentions had been heartfelt, however. She'd made Edward a promise she intended to keep. By any means necessary, he _was_ going to pass that test…even if it meant spending five-and-a-half hours making notecards that would only make sense to Edward.

"I don't even know where the library is," Edward made a last-ditch effort to get out of studying.

"That building right there. The big one, in the middle." Bella pointed.

Edward didn't look hopeful, but Bella noticed he was no longer saying no to heading off to study. When it was time for her to proceed to her first class, she did so, but not without pensive glances back at Edward, willing him to go study. Each time she looked, he was in the same spot she'd left him in.

Bella wanted Edward to succeed so badly – almost enough to let him cheat. But the risk was too high. Besides, Bella wanted exactly what his mother wanted for him: a bona fide success that belonged only to Edward.

********

Edward walked towards the library and approached the door with apprehension. It was as if the building itself balked at his entry. While he didn't want to be there, he knew he wasn't going to sit in plain sight studying for a test. It wasn't who he was. Nor did he want the distraction it would bring – his friends would continually ask what and why he was reading.

In the corner of the library there was a lone chair that was much to large for the space. It seemed to be pushed out of the way, almost concealed by a low bookcase. Edward tested it to see if it was broken before relaxing into it and pulling out the well-worn book.

It took about five seconds for Edward to give up. The letters on the page seemed to swirl into a vast pit of nothingness. It didn't make any sense and it just confused him more – not a good state to be in right before a test.

Edward shoved the book back into the pocket on the inside of his jacket and his fingers came in contact with the notecards from Bella. He pulled them out and inspected them with the intention of tossing them into the garbage, but he glanced at them thinking they might trigger for him exactly what he should study, since he had no idea.

Edward was surprised at how easily he read the first word Bella had written. Secure in that, he moved on to the second word. In no time at all, he understood exactly what she was trying to tell him. He moved on to the second point, energized as he "decoded" Bella's writings. He continued on in this manner until he heard the bell sound and he'd gone through all of the notecards, front and back, three times.

Bella was already seated in the classroom when Edward arrived. He didn't give her any indication that he'd read the notes she'd given him, nor did he tell her he'd gone to the library. Instead, he pulled a pencil out of his pocket and waited anxiously for the test.

Bella looked over at him a few times, and offered a smile. Then she reminded him that she always kept her promises. Before Edward had a chance to respond to that, a tall thin man stepped into the room and called Edward's name.

"Edward Cullen?"

Edward turned and glanced at the man. "Yeah?"

Miss Teale appeared next to the man and handed him a stapled set of papers. "Edward, you can go with Mr. Johnson. He has your test."

Edward looked over at Bella. He was perplexed at this interruption, but Bella didn't seem to be. She also wouldn't make eye contact with him. That's when he knew something was up.

********

Bella let out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding as soon as Edward had left the room. Up until that moment she hadn't known that Esme was going to be able to come through and get a reader for Edward's test. Now that she knew he had the best chance of passing, Bella was able to settle down and focus on taking her own test.

She'd completed three questions before Edward stormed back into the classroom and slumped down in the chair next to her. Bella gasped in shock – not only because she was surprised to see him back so soon, but also at the expression on his face. There was no mistaking it: Edward was livid.

"Edward, what happened?" Bella whispered.

Edward ignored her. _Crap._

"Bella?" Miss Teale's voice erupted into the silence. Bella looked up to see her teacher signaling for her to be quiet. Quickly she turned her attention back to her test.

Bella had such a hard time concentrating that it took her longer than it should have to take her test. And it took Edward even longer.

The class had nearly cleared out (Miss Teale sent those who had finished to the library), and even though Bella was done, she sat waiting, checking and re-checking her test as Edward struggled beside her.

So badly Bella wanted to look at his test to see how he was doing, but since she still had her test, it would have been considered cheating. And if Miss Teale didn't have her eyes fixed upon Edward like a hawk, Bella _would_ have let him cheat.

"Bella, I'll take your test now, if you're finished." Miss Teale held out her hand even though she was across the room. It was obvious that she knew Bella had finished, but was holding out, waiting for Edward. Bella figured Miss Teale probably recognized Bella's temptation to slide her test over so that he could copy off of it.

As Bella headed up to turn in her exam, she peeked over at Edward's test and her heart sank. He was only on the first page. Her frustration overwhelmed her and her eyes began to water. She quickly handed Miss Teale her test and exited the room before her tears spilled over.

*******

Alice was in the bathroom fixing her hair when a familiar face rushed in and locked herself in one of the stalls.

She heard sniffling and distressed breathing, and though her first inclination was to ignore it altogether, it was like a train wreck she couldn't look away from.

"Um, hello?" Alice knocked on the stall door. "Are you okay in there?"

It got very quiet before Bella responded.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She lied.

"You're not fine, or you wouldn't be in there bawling your eyes out," Alice rolled her eyes. "What'd he do?"

Bella's response to Alice's question was to come out of the stall, wiping her nose with toilet paper.

"I think you have me confused with someone else." She said.

"You're with Edward, right?" Alice asked. "So, what'd he do? I mean, this is Edward we're talking about. It was bound to happen sooner or later."

Bella shook her head. "Edward didn't do anything."

"Don't try to protect him, Bella. Edward's an ass."

Bella's face contorted to one of anger and sadness – total despair. "What is with this day?" she yelled, not particularly at Alice. "I've never met anyone who has more odds stacked against him. He's worked his ass off and then something happened with the reader and who knows what happened with that test and now you…you're calling him an ass and all Edward is doing is trying!"

After her verbal expectoration, humiliation seemed to wash over Bella and she exited without so much as another word.

Alice glanced at her own reflection in the mirror with awe and irritation. "Okay, what the hell was that?"

********

Edward stormed towards the parking lot after he'd all but thrown his English exam at Miss Teale. She'd tried talking to him, but he'd ignored her and stalked out of the room. He knew his anger was out of control, but he didn't care.

_I don't care. I don't care about the test. I don't care about the car. I don't care about my parents. I don't care about this fucked up school. And I sure as hell don't care about…_

Bella.

They saw each other at exactly the same second and immediately had opposite reactions. Bella started running towards him and Edward turned and walked away from her.

"Edward! Edward, wait up!" Bella raced towards him. "Would you hang on a second?"

Edward acted as if she wasn't speaking. His countenance grew dark and cloudy, much like the sky above him. He knew that in his current mood he was in no condition to talk to Bella. Except he was walking and she was running, so in a matter of moments, she had overtaken him and was standing in front of him.

"Edward, what happened? What happened to the reader? How'd you do on the test?" Bella assaulted him with questions.

Edward tried to push past her but she grabbed onto his jacket. He turned toward her suddenly and the expression on his face caused Bella to step back with a sharp intake of breath. "Edward?" she asked softly as if she didn't recognize him.

"What the fuck was that in there?" Edward pointed in the direction of the English building.

"What are you talking about?" Bella's eyes darted around nervously.

"That guy? Coming to read to me like I'm some fucking idiot!" Edward's voice rose with every syllable. He was seething.

"What? Edward, he was just trying to-"

"So what was all the bullshit studying for?" Edward kept going. "You know, you're just like Esme, treating me like I'm some fucking contender for the Special Olympics."

"Edward, I thought –" Bella tried again.

"No, you didn't fuckin' think, because if you did, you wouldn't have sent that asshole in there to tell me how much of a fuckin' moron I am!"

Bella tried to calm Edward down by using a calm and reassuring voice, but he wouldn't let her get a word in edgewise.

"You know what, Bella? Fuck it. Fuck my parents, fuck this school, fuck that test and fuck you!"

Edward turned and walked away. This time, Bella let him go.

********

Rosalie stood by a tree at the edge of the quad and tried to listen to the scene she had nearly missed. Jessica had sent her a text informing her of a near-showdown between Edward and Bella.

Although Rosalie managed to arrive quickly, she only caught the tail end of their conversation, but it was enough. Edward had told Bella to basically fuck off. _Happy dance!_

Rosalie watched as Edward headed towards the parking lot – giving no regard to the fact that school was still in session. She sprinted after him.

"Edward, what's up? Where are you going?"

"I'm leaving," Edward said. "Where's Jasper?"

"He's in class." Rosalie said quickly, though she actually didn't know where Jasper was at the moment. "Why are you leaving?"

"Just am," Edward said harshly.

"Well…do you need a ride?" Rosalie offered.

Edward stopped walking then. "You don't have a car." He reminded her.

"I have my mom's car today." Rosalie smiled sweetly.

"You're gonna ditch?" Edward asked.

"Are you kidding? All I need is a reason to get out of this hellhole." Rosalie told him.

"Okay then. Let's go," Edward allowed Rosalie to lead him to where she'd parked.

"Where to?" she asked him as she unlocked the car doors. "Your house?"

"No. Definitely not." Edward said quickly. "I don't really care where you take me. Just as long as it's away from here."

"We can go to my house," Rosalie offered. "There's no one there."

"Whatever," Edward mumbled.

As Rosalie headed in the direction of home, she silently thanked Bella for whatever she'd done to set Edward off. He was brooding, angry and in need of comfort. And Rosalie now had the opportunity she needed to give him just that.

********

Esme was on the phone in the kitchen when Carlisle returned home from work that evening. She held her hand up to let him know that she wanted him to stay nearby.

"Okay, well I really appreciate the call." Esme was winding down her conversation. "Yes, the office called me and told me that he had missed his last two classes today…No, of course, I understand…Yes…Yes, thank you so much again."

Esme hung up and looked at her husband in anguish. "Edward skipped school."

"He blew off the test?" Carlisle asked in shock. Not that Edward had indicated verbally his intention to take the test, but he'd seen how hard he'd been working. He hadn't expected him to skip it.

"No, he took the test, but he left afterwards. I guess he got really upset over the reader coming in and he refused to use him." Esme explained.

"Reader? What's that?" Carlisle asked.

"I arranged for Edward to have a reader come in and read the test questions to Edward."

"Oh, Esme. Tell me you didn't."

"What? What's so wrong about that?"

"You had someone come into Edward's class to read his test to him? A high school English class, no less? And you see nothing wrong with that?" Carlisle tried to hide his condescending tone with a humorous chuckle.

"They went into a different classroom," Esme retorted, but her eyes gave away her waning confidence.

"So what happened?" Carlisle asked as if he already knew the answer.

"Miss Teale called. She said that Edward refused to use the reader, came back into the classroom and insisted on taking the test just like everyone else."

"And?"

"Well, she said it took him quite a long time. He was the last one in the classroom and he stormed out. She tried to tell him that she'd grade it for him right then, but he just left. Apparently he left the school right then and I haven't been able to get a hold of him. I've called him several times."

"So you don't know where he is?" Carlisle made a motion to put on his recently discarded coat, letting Esme know that he was willing to go look for Edward. "What about Bella?"

"He's not with her. I called and she said she hadn't seen him since after the test." Esme started to look tense. "She said that he's very upset with her."

"Well, yeah," Carlisle stated as if to say Edward had every right to be angry.

"Why should he be angry with her, though? She didn't do anything."

Carlisle shrugged. "Apparently he thinks she did."

Esme looked guilty. "This is all my fault."

"The long and short of it is that you did what you thought was best for Edward because you love him. No one faults you for that." Carlisle kissed Esme on the forehead and she seemed to brighten a little at his words. "Now, let me go and see if I can find Mr. Edward. I bet he's going to be a force to be reckoned with over failing that test. I know how hard he was trying."

"He didn't fail the test," Esme smiled widely, knowing she'd saved the best news until the very last second.

"He didn't?"

"No. That was his teacher on the phone when you came in. She said she graded his test as soon as he gave it to her because she wanted to see how he did. She also said that she wanted to see him pass just because of the difference she's seen in him in such a short period of time."

"So she padded the results?"

Esme shook her head. "She didn't have to. Edward did it on his own." Esme beamed. "When he first handed the test in she said that almost the entire first page was blank, he'd only answered three questions. But when she turned through the rest of the pages, he'd done everything else."

"So what'd he get?"

"A 71-percent. He got a C-!" Esme hugged Carlisle.

"That's great!" Carlisle exclaimed, his exuberance and pride apparent. "And don't worry, I'll let you tell him…when I find him."

********

The weed that Rosalie had offered Edward had worked to stave off his anger, but now that his buzz was wearing off, Edward felt the despair of earlier events creep back upon him. He pulled his phone out of his pocket to check the time, and in doing so, he noticed that he'd had eight missed calls. Most of them were from his parents. One was from Jasper. One was from Bella. He groaned aloud at the sight of her name.

"Are you okay yet?" Rosalie came up behind him and began rubbing his shoulders. She had tried relentlessly to get him to tell her what had happened, but he'd held her off. Now that facing his parents was looming in the near future, he wondered if he should bounce things off her to get another perspective. _Just how much trouble would he be in?_

"I bombed a test," Edward said.

"So. You've bombed lots of tests. So have I. It's not the end of the world." Rosalie shrugged.

"It means I probably won't graduate." Edward added.

"Aw, they just say that shit to scare you. You'll graduate." Rosalie waved it off. "That's why you were so pissed?"

"No. Just…this shit. I don't even want to get into it." There was no way Edward was going to explain to Rosalie that Bella had arranged for some prick to come read to him like he was in kindergarten.

"Was it Bella?" Rosalie asked quietly.

Just hearing her name out loud cause a reaction deep within Edward's core. It _hurt_ just to hear her name. It was probably guilt at the look on her face at his vulgar parting words to her.

Edward was distracted as he thought about it, so he only half noticed Rosalie's hand rubbing up and down his thigh.

"Edward, you know I care about you. You can tell me anything," Rosalie cooed. "And if that bitch did something to you, you know I've got your back, right?"

Edward felt like the world's biggest hypocrite. For he'd said horrible words to Bella – to her face, yet here was Rosalie calling Bella a bitch behind her back, and he was ready to fight her over it.

"I have to go," Edward stood up abruptly.

"What? Why?" Rosalie noticed his rapid change in demeanor.

"My parents are freaking out. I have to go deal with this." Edward headed towards the door.

"Well, I can drive you."

"Nah, I can walk."

"Edward, it's raining."

The only response to Rosalie's words was the sound of the door when it latched behind Edward as he walked out.

********

As Edward walked, he called Carlisle to let him know he was on his way home. Despite the short distance between Edward's location and home, Carlisle still drove out to meet him. Edward got into the car without a fight.

"You're in big trouble, young man," Carlisle said once Edward was inside the warm car.

Edward fought the urge to say that he didn't care. He didn't feel like engaging in a verbal sparring match with Carlisle.

"Just because you think things don't go your way, that doesn't excuse you to take off whenever you want for however long you want. What if something happened to you, Edward? We'd have no way of knowing if you needed us."

Edward noticed a lightness behind Carlisle's words, almost as if he had to put forth an effort to be angry, that his ill feelings weren't genuine.

"How much trouble am I in?" Edward just wanted to get this part over with.

"For skipping school and going out on a school night? You're grounded for a week. And for not letting us know where you were, I'll have your phone for a week. If you're not going to use it, you don't need to have it."

Edward accepted the punishment without a word. He didn't really care about going out and it wasn't as if he was expecting any calls. There wasn't much they could take away from him anyway. He'd already lost his car. And his heart couldn't allow him to think about what else he'd lost.

Carlisle pulled the car into the garage and cut the ignition. "Edward," he said before his son escaped into the house.

"What?" Edward asked quietly.

"One of these days you're going to meet a woman that means more to you than anything in this world," Carlisle began. "That woman, for me, is inside of that house feeling really upset right now. When you go in there, I expect you to treat her with respect and decency. I understand that you're upset, but you will not raise your voice, or be discourteous in any way. Do I make myself clear?"

"Whatever," Edward mumbled. As he got out of the car he was partially focused on what Carlisle had just said. He knew why Esme would be upset with him but he didn't understand why Carlisle expected him to be upset with her.

********

Esme was standing in the mudroom, waiting for Edward and Carlisle to enter the house. As soon as she saw Edward, she put her hand on her hip and pointed her finger towards him.

"I have half a mind to box your ears right now, buddy!" she said. But there was no fury behind her words. Maddie stood closely behind her mother, sneaking glances at Edward.

"Maddie, come on, let's go upstairs and get ready for bed," Carlisle held his hand out to her.

"You," Esme pointed at Edward, "In the dining room."

Edward followed after his mother and took a seat across from her at the oversized table in the dining room.

"First of all," Esme began, "what's it going to take for you to stop taking off and not letting me know where you are? It scares me, Edward. I don't like it."

Edward nodded, but he didn't offer anything more.

"I want to hear you say you won't do it again," Esme prompted.

"I won't do it again," Edward said. His words were emotionless.

"Now, I understand why you're upset, but I need you to talk to me. Tell me what happened. Why'd you leave school?"

Edward shook his head. "I just didn't want to be there anymore."

"Why?"

"Because it's useless."

"We'll get back to that in a minute," Esme moved on. "What's going on with Bella?"

Edward grimaced. "Nothing."

"Did you two have an argument?"

Edward shrugged.

"Why are you upset with her, Edward?"

"That's my business."

"No, I think it might be my business, too. I think you're blaming her for something I did."

Edward's eyes snapped to Esme. "That guy…you had him come to the school? You did that?"

Esme nodded. "I thought it would help you. Bella and I spoke last week and she said you knew the material. I figured if your only hindrance was the test questions, then I could help you with that."

"That ass-hat called me out of class in front of everyone!" Edward jerked upright and raised his voice.

"Watch your mouth and lower your voice," Esme glanced upstairs towards Maddie's room.

Edward was openly surprised at the next words that sprang forth from Esme's mouth.

"Edward, I want to apologize to you. Not because you were embarrassed. If I thought hiring a reader would give you the ultimate chance at success, I'd do it again. Five years from now no one is going to remember that some guy called you out of class during a test." Esme paused and reached across the table to take Edward's hand. He didn't move away from her, but it was obvious that he wasn't comfortable with the gesture.

"I'm saying I'm sorry because in this particular situation, you were right and I should have consulted you and listened to you in regards to your test. You felt that you could do it on your own and you did. You passed the test, sweetheart."

Edward looked confused. "What?"

"Your English test. You got a C-." Esme could no longer hide her excitement. She clasped her hands together in front of her and smiled brightly at Edward.

Edward, however, did not react with glee. He sat up straighter as he leaned back in the chair and gazed at Esme.

"So, Bella had nothing to do with the guy who came to the school today?" Edward asked.

"Well, I'd told her I was going to try to do something like that, but no, she didn't know until she saw him – same time you found out."

"So basically I laid into her for nothing?"

Carlisle had been observing the conversation from the doorway and he took this moment to enter and join the discussion.

"Edward, I think now is a good time to learn a lesson about your temper. You blow up at people and shut them out without getting all the details. Did you even let Bella explain?"

No one present needed to hear Edward's response to know that he didn't.

"We'll figure out what we're going to do about the classwork you missed today in the classes you skipped. But it's getting late. Go on up to bed." Esme told Edward.

As Edward passed Carlisle, he stopped and spoke softly. "Can I make one phone call?"

"Not tonight." Carlisle patted his shoulder. "And trust me, it's better if you do it in person."

********

As Edward trudged up the stairs to his bedroom, it amazed him how the realization of two things: Bella's innocence as far as the reader was concerned and the fact that he'd passed the test, changed everything. Suddenly, everything that he'd previously thought hadn't mattered, parents, school, the test…it all mattered. The only constant was Bella. She'd never ceased to matter. And that fact weighed heavily on Edward's mind as he laid down on his bed to ponder how to clean up the mess he'd made of his and Bella's….relationship?

He had no clue what to do and the morning came too soon.

Edward couldn't remember the last time he'd been scared of a girl – if it had ever even happened before. Well, at any rate, it was happening now. As he searched for her near his locker, he was internally conflicted with wanting to see her and not wanting to see her at the same time.

In no time at all, it was time for English and Edward would have to sit next to her for an entire class period. Should he apologize quickly before class? Would she accept that? Or should he act like nothing happened? Perhaps running to hide would be sensible as well…

Fortunately, Edward didn't have to pick an option at all. Bella was not present in their class. The void created by her absence was both symbolic and literal for Edward as he kept peering over at her empty seat, hoping that one of those glances would render her present.

The only bright point of the hour was when Miss Teale walked over to his desk and placed his test in front of him. She'd written a C- and "Great Job" in large red letters. Edward left it on his desk for all to see, just in case anyone was wondering about his mental faculties.

********

It was immature, Bella knew, but hiding out in the counselor's office under the guise of getting scholarship information was much more appealing than facing a sulking Edward in class.

She wasn't quite sure why he was even upset with her. All that she could come up with was that she didn't tell him about the reader. And maybe he did have a right to be upset with her for keeping it from him, but not _that_ upset.

At the thought of how irrational he was being, Bella's guilt over not telling Edward about the reader started to decline. And by the end of the day it was almost non-existent.

However, when he cornered her at her locker after school, there was a guilt revival.

"Bella?" he stated her name softly, even though she happened to be staring at him, his presence no secret.

She cocked her head to the side slightly and raised her eyebrows, but didn't speak.

"I thought you weren't here today…since you weren't in class this morning." Edward said. He watched her intently as he spoke.

"I'm here." Bella said flatly.

She was about to turn away from him when he held up the graded copy of his English test.

"Oh my gosh, Edward, you passed!" Bella momentarily forgot there was animosity between them. She went to hug Edward but then awkwardly dropped her arms when she remembered his harsh words from the previous day.

Edward had stepped forward in anticipation of the embrace that he thought was coming. When Bella stepped back, he took another step forward.

"Look, about yesterday," he nervously raked his fingers through his hair as he began. "I kinda over-reacted. I thought I'd fucked up the test and I was pissed about that douche reader…"

"I knew about the reader," Bella blurted. "But your mom didn't want me to say anything about it."

"Yeah, I know." Edward nodded. "But yesterday, I thought you had gotten him to come. I didn't know my mom did it. Which is stupid, now that I look back on it. Of course they're not gonna let some strange guy come read a test to me just because you told them to."

"Nope, I don't have that kind of power," Bella agreed.

Bella toyed with the zipper on her backpack as Edward stood still before her. Although it seemed like he had more to say, he wasn't speaking. Finally, Bella turned away from him and began pulling books from her locker.

"Okay, well…see ya." Edward said as he backed away.

"Um, bye," Bella called over her shoulder. She willed herself not to watch him as he walked away because she knew she would be sad and she didn't want to be immersed in that emotion again at school.

But something was broken. Before the test, there was a small amount of clarity as to who she was and how she was to be with Edward. This situation had dashed that to pieces and Bella was right back to trying to sort out the enigma of Edward Cullen.

Bella's will faltered, and she turned to see if she could still see Edward as he walked away. She could.

He had never left.

"Oh my gosh, you scared me," Bella put her hand to her heart – only she would know the real reason as to why it was beating so erratically.

In one incredibly swift motion, Edward closed the gap between them and cupped her jaw in the palm of his hand as he pressed Bella up against her locker.

"I'm a dick," he whispered.

"No, it's okay…I get it. You were stressed," Bella stammered to let him off the hook. Though she agreed, he _had_ been a dick, she certainly wouldn't admit to that. Especially not when his lips were so kissably close to hers.

"I'm sorry," he murmured against her lips. It was the first time he'd ever apologized to anyone.

In response, Bella lifted her face to him to offer him a milestone of her own: her very first kiss.

Tentatively, Edward pressed his lips to Bella's. He pulled back only to repeat the movement a second and third time.

Softly, he pressed the tip of his thumb against her chin, coaxing her to open her mouth. When she did so, Edward feathered the point of his tongue across her lips. By the time Edward fully enveloped Bella's mouth with his own and slipped his tongue inside, she was practically panting for him. His hand traveled through her hair, to the back of her head, where he gingerly protected her from the harsh reality of the metal locker.

Edward was ignited by Bella's innocence. Over and over, he repeated his kisses until Bella began to predict his motions and match his every move. Her hands danced in the hair at the nape of his neck, just as his fingers tangled in hers. Her lips nipped at his, just as his teeth grazed hers. And her tongue mimicked his soft, determined strokes. But when Edwards mouth dipped down to Bella's neck, the sensations he created there alerted her that she was once again, in uncharted territory. Bella gave in to the bliss of the moment and let the wave of desire overtake her.

This wasn't at all how Bella had imagined her first kiss. It was so much better.


	13. Chapter 13

**The Tutor**

**Chapter 13 – Not Going to Happen**

Alice and Jessica were sitting together in the quad, their heads close together as they were deep in conversation. They looked up when they heard Rosalie approaching them. She held a brown paper bag in each hand.

"Hungry much?" Jessica asked as she pointed at the bags.

"They're not both for me," Rosalie rolled her eyes. "One's for Edward."

"Edward?" Alice frowned. "You're making his lunch now?"

"No, I'm just doing something nice for him." Rosalie made a motion for Alice to move down so that she could take a seat. "He's had a rough go of it this week. Did you guys know he might not graduate?"

"Surprise, surprise." Jessica said sarcastically. "I think you actually have to come to school to get credit for being here."

Rosalie laughed. "Well, actually, he has been here a lot more lately."

"It might have something to do with his new extra-curricular activity." Alice rolled her eyes. "I swear, guys wouldn't even get out of the bed in the morning if there were no women in the world."

"Totally." Jessica agreed.

Rosalie looked between her two friends. "What are you guys talking about? What extra-curricular activity?"

"You know," Alice nodded. "Bella."

"No, he can't stand her," Rosalie insisted. "He's totally pissed at her."

"Since when?" Jessica asked. She prided herself on being up on all the gossip and this was something that had eluded her.

"On Monday Edward and I hung out," Rosalie paused, reveling in the sound of what she'd just said, "and he couldn't even stand to say her name."

"Oh, well then on Tuesday they made up, because I saw them all hot and heavy against her locker yesterday after school." Jessica reported, sure of herself once again.

Rosalie looked as if someone had just punched her in the stomach. She looked at Alice to clarify the information.

"I thought you knew Edward liked her," Alice whispered.

"Edward Cullen doesn't _like_ anyone. He just uses people and he's using her. Bella is an easy target because she doesn't know his reputation." Jessica rushed in. "Rosalie, you aren't an easy target. He knows he has to be real with you. That's the only reason he hasn't come around yet. You intimidate him."

"But I don't _want _to intimidate him." Rosalie said softly. "Seriously, what can he see in Bella? She's gross!"

"She's not that bad," Alice countered. However when she saw the evil glare Rosalie was giving her, she quickly amended her words. "But I've never really seen her close up."

"Well consider yourself lucky. I've seen sea urchins with better features." Rosalie huffed.

Alice sat quietly listening as Jessica and Rosalie engaged in their own conversation. Jessica was assuring Rosalie that Edward and Bella would be over before they began. Rosalie appeared desperate for every word, drinking it up like an oasis in the desert.

Alice couldn't make a judgment about Edward's relationship with Bella because she didn't really know her. But Alice knew Edward and, more importantly, she knew Rosalie. And in her mind, the two were no love match.

********

Edward would never let on how thankful he was that Jasper had chosen to pick him up for school that morning. He hadn't given much weight to being grounded when Carlisle had first told him of it, but the solitary confinement, once his parents added no television and no video games, was starting to become maddening. It got to the point that he couldn't wait to go to school, which was why he was riding to school, on time, with Jasper, at the moment, instead of skipping through his free period. And this was only his second day of restriction.

"So…" Jasper ransomed a long gaze in Edward's direction.

Edward ignored him, figuring he'd get to the point eventually.

"So you finally settled down, eh? Trying out the other side of the tracks?" Jasper wagged his eyebrows at his friend.

"Man, what the hell are you talking about?" Edward said gruffly.

"You…and Bella?"

Edward started at the mention of _her_ name coming out of Jasper's mouth, but he quickly recovered. "How did you know about that?"

"Dude, everyone knows about that. You weren't exactly incognito when you guys were going at it yesterday after school."

Edward sighed in exasperation. "Fuckin' small towns…people don't have anything better to do than get in my business…"

"People are talking about it because they're shocked. I'm even shocked and I _know_ you."

"What's so shocking? I kissed a girl. Big deal."

"Well, for one, you're like a vampire, Edward. You don't usually come out to play until dark. And two, this girl is like…not your type."

"What's my type?" Edward pretended to be interested.

"I dunno…Rosalie?"

"Not even."

Jasper laughed. "I know you don't like her…but I've never really understood why. I mean, she's pretty, she's the horniest girl I've ever met and she's totally into you. Why not go for it?"

It wasn't as if Edward had never considered Rosalie. When she'd first approached him a few years ago, he had been interested at first. But after spending time with her, she just didn't hold his attention. And then the more time they spent together, the more obsessed she became. Lately they couldn't even have a conversation without Rosalie putting him in a position where he had to turn her down or reject her. It was tiring.

"She just doesn't do it for me. No spark, or whatever." Edward summed up. "What'd she do, pay you to talk me into hooking up with her?"

"No. I just wondered. You guys do have a lot in common." Jasper added.

"That's part of the problem. Rosalie changes who she is for every guy she likes. When I go over to her house, she has everything I've ever mentioned in her room. If I like a band, she finds out every possible thing about them, buys every CD they've ever made, and just goes overboard. She makes me hate everything I thought I liked. Besides, what's the point in hanging out with someone if they're trying to be you? I'd just hang out with myself if I was that into me."

"True," Jasper acquiesced. "But you did say she gave good head."

Edward looked unenergetically over at Jasper. "Have you ever had _bad_ head? I mean, as long as she doesn't bite it, it's good."

Jasper was silent for a long while as they neared the school campus. Finally he started laughing. "I still can't believe you have a girlfriend."

"Who said anything about a girlfriend?" Edward challenged.

"But you…in front of everyone…so, wait…you guys aren't together?" Jasper asked awkwardly.

"I don't do the label thing. We just kissed, end of story. She's not my girlfriend and I'm not her boyfriend."

"And she knows this?"

Edward shrugged. "I never told her otherwise."

"Well damn," Jasper said in a near pout, "I thought I would finally get you to agree to that double date Alice has been bugging me about."

"And why would I do that…even if I _had_ a girlfriend?" Edward asked with distaste.

"Just something to do. Keep things interesting, I guess." Jasper said.

"Alice getting boring already, 'eh? There's something to be said about the thrill of the chase. That's why I don't settle down."

"Alice could never be described as 'boring', that's for sure," Jasper laughed. "She just wants to go on a date with another couple…and there are rewards to giving the lady what she likes."

Edward rolled his eyes. "Pussy," he muttered.

"Yes, _pussy_ is one of the rewards," Jasper added. "Anyway, if you change your mind and you and Bella ever want to go to a movie or something, let me know."

"Not going to happen," Edward insisted.

********

It had been sixteen-and-a-half hours since the agonizingly glorious moment Edward's lips came in contact with Bella's. And ever since then, all she could think of was kissing him again.

Over and over again in her head she replayed how their embrace had felt hard and soft at the same time; how Edward had smelled of leather and cigarettes and how his fingertips upon her skin had ignited a fire deep within her.

Often called a late bloomer by her mother, Bella had never been the type of girl to hope for "happily ever after", nor did her eyes search for eye candy amongst the male species. Sure, she'd found guys visually appealing, but never to the point of fantasizing about them.

All of that changed with that one kiss. Like a physical alarm clock, that kiss had awaken feelings that had, up until now, been in a slumbering state. Bella found herself longing for things she didn't know she had knowledge of. Her mind pleaded her to imagine Edwards hands, his lips, his…

"Bella!"

She snapped to attention quickly as Angela Webber waved her hand to and fro in front of her face.

"Oh, sorry. Um, what?" Bella asked.

"You're walking away from your truck," Angela said.

"Um…yeah, I know. I have to get to class." Bella answered.

"But it's still running." Angela pointed.

"What?" Bella quickly turned around and stared at her truck in disbelief. Surely she hadn't left the key in the ignition and the truck going…that had to be something else.

But there her truck sat, sputtering and a shaking with the exertion of a thirty-year-old motor.

"What the hell?" Bella retorted as she hastened over to her truck and cut the ignition quickly.

"You seriously didn't realize you hadn't shut your truck off?" Angela asked incredulously.

"Uh-uh," Bella was embarrassed to admit. "I've got a lot on my mind."

"Wow…that must have been _some_ kiss." Angela giggled.

Bella's cheeks blazed with the intensity of a thousand blushes. "How'd you know about that?"

"Bella, this is Forks and he's Edward Cullen. _Everyone_ knows about that kiss."

********

Second period English, with Edward, was interesting to say the least. Bella was still starry-eyed as she took her seat next to where she knew he would soon be sitting. She'd tried to wait for him outside of the class, but when the warning bell had sounded and he still hadn't appeared, Bella headed into class without him.

Just as suspected, Edward arrived to class approximately five minutes later. Miss Teale gave him a disapproving glance, but she didn't make an example of him by pointing his tardiness out to the class. Instead, she continued on with the question she was asking a boy in the front row.

"Where were you?" Bella whispered.

"With Jasper," Edward answered. He kept his eyes forward, apparently interested in the incorrect answer that was now being given to the teacher.

It didn't take Bella long to realize that Edward was purposely avoiding her gaze. Once she'd caught him looking at her, but when he saw that he'd been caught, he quickly looked away.

Confusion settled over Bella and she wasn't able to concentrate on anything being taught during the hour. All she could focus on was Edward and why he was acting the way he was acting. Her mind replayed everything that had transpired between them since the kiss. Dissecting each detail for some shard of an explanation for his behavior. She came up with nothing.

When the class ended, Bella expected Edward to storm out of the classroom in another effort to avoid her, but he didn't. He simply remained glued in his seat, blocking her ability to exit. Bella sat perplexed, staring at the side of his face.

"Oh, good, you two haven't left," Miss Teale approached Edward and Bella with a packet of papers in her outstretched hand. "This is all the classwork you have yet to catch up on, Edward. So, since you passed your test, once you get your participation grade in, you're fine. You'll receive credit for this class."

Tutoring. It was Wednesday and Bella was supposed to tutor Edward on Wednesdays. She had thought that the passing grade on his exam had negated the need for her services, but it was apparent Miss Teale had other plans. And she also hadn't finished her driver's manual. But with the way Edward was acting she wondered if he would find a way to get out of their appointment.

"I've got to get going," Bella stood, hinting to Edward that she needed him to move so that she could get by.

"Yeah…wait up," Edward said as he grabbed his jacket and moved alongside her.

Bella was silent as she waited for Edward to say whatever it was he had to say.

"So, can we meet at your house?" he asked. "Being on lockdown is getting old and I figure the wardens will let me out if it's school related."

It hadn't been what Bella had been expecting to hear, so she immediately had trouble following him. "What?"

"I'm grounded, but I think my parents will let me go to your house since we're doing homework. I just need to get out of that house." Edward clarified.

"Oh…well…sure. Okay." Bella shrugged. "Unless, of course, it interferes with your rule of not talking to me."

"I'm talking to you now, aren't I?" Edward countered.

Bella couldn't help but be annoyed by the small smirk that dwelled on Edward's lips. "And why is that, exactly? Why can you talk to me now, but not five minutes ago?"

Edward shrugged. "Whatever I say to you is meant for you, not everyone else."

"Okay," Bella drew out the syllables on the word, feeling as if Edward was speaking in a language she didn't understand.

"Everyone was staring at us. Watching to see how we acted and what we said. So I just didn't say anything." Edward said, as if his behavior was the most normal in the world.

"And you couldn't have clued me in on this little strategy?" Bella asked, not bothering to hide her irritation.

Edward stopped walking and turned to face Bella head on. "Bella, I don't like people in my business. So, I might not talk to you during class if I feel like everyone's trying to get in my business. How's that?"

Bella pursed her lips. "One might stand to argue that you shouldn't have kissed me at school, in front of everybody in the first place."

"Stand to argue? Who talks like that?"

"Sorry," Bella laughed. "I've been watching re-runs of Judging Amy."

Edward tried not to, but he couldn't help laughing right along with her. "Bella, you're weird."

"I've been called worse by better," she quipped as they fell into step alongside one another.

Edward followed as Bella walked to her locker… and everyone they passed was watching.

********

It was Edward's first inclination to lie to Esme about tutoring at Bella's house, but he couldn't find the right story that sounded viable enough to warrant a change of venue. So, he simply asked her if he could study at Bella's house instead of his own.

"Sure, that's fine. I'll have your father pick you up on his way home from the hospital." Esme agreed.

When speaking to Edward, Esme had started referring to Carlisle as "dad" or "your father" about a year after Edward had been adopted. Edward could remember the first time she'd said it because it had felt so awkward and inappropriate. Even now, when Esme would tell Edward to "go ask your dad"; he always wanted to correct her – though he never did.

It had nothing to do with Carlisle…not really. It just seemed like an unnecessary sentiment. Edward and Carlisle were very clear of where they stood with one another and what role they fulfilled in one another's lives. Unlike Esme, who, on the other hand, had to constantly be reminded of how Edward felt about her…which is why when he'd called with his request, he'd referred to her as "Mom".

Bella had given Edward a disinterested "sure" when he'd asked if he could ride with her to her house, but her facial expression, and the nervous quiver of her voice conspired against her. Edward's ego soared as he relished the obviously conflicted emotions he bestowed upon her.

Edward followed Bella inside her house, and though she offered him a seat at the kitchen table, he followed her up the stairs and into her bedroom. She hadn't even heard him behind her until he spoke, and it startled her.

"Huh…definitely not how I pictured this room," Edward said as he looked around.

Too curious to ignore him, Bella asked, "Why are you picturing my room in the first place?"

"You can tell a lot about a person by what their bedroom looks like," Edward said, ignoring Bella's connotation. Instead, he walked over to a hardened chunk that looked like a dried mound of clay painted to match the color of Pepto-Bismol. "This, for example, means you're sentimental."

"Or it could mean that I needed a paperweight and it was the only thing I could find." Bella countered.

Edward picked up the clay and read the inscription on the bottom:

_"To Miss Bella from Mrs. Amster's Kindergarten class – 2008"_

It was a parting gift from a kindergarten class she'd helped out in for her Child Development class in Phoenix. They'd made her a "flower pot" (it didn't resemble one at all) for her to remember them by.

Bella reddened when she knew she'd been caught. "So I'm sentimental. So what?"

"I didn't say it was a bad thing," Edward shrugged as he took a seat on Bella's bed. His eyes fell on an antiquated looking piece of equipment on her bedside table.

"What's that?" he pointed to it.

"It's an alarm clock." Bella answered.

"I think they stopped making those in 1973."

Bella rolled her eyes. "I know it's old, but it has the best radio reception and I can't go to sleep without the radio on."

"How about a CD? Or an ipod?"

"My ipod has too many different types of songs on it and Cd's end. With the easy listening station on, I don't have to worry about some loud rock song coming on and waking me up. It all sounds the same."

"I have to have total quiet when I sleep."

"Well then, I suppose you live in the right town."

Bella sat across from Edward on the bed and pulled out the packet of papers Miss Teale had given them. She began reading the instructions aloud and explaining what Edward needed to do to complete the assignment.

Instead of listening, Edward fixated on how her lips moved as she spoke. Watching her lips reminded him of what it felt like to kiss her. Thinking about kissing her made him want to do it again…he tried to squelch that desire. Yet that made him want to kiss her all the more.

"Edward?"

Edward hadn't realized that Bella had asked him a question.

"Earth to Edward…" Bella stated again.

"What?" he asked, trying to act like it was completely normal for him to space out beyond auditory compliance.

"Were you even listening?" Bella asked.

"Actually, I was trying to remember if I thanked you for helping me pass that test."

Edward could tell what Bella was thinking before she opened her mouth to speak because of the hue that colored her cheeks.

"I believe you thanked me quite…well." Bella averted her eyes as she spoke.

"That was sorry," Edward said as he leaned forward, close enough to invade Bella's personal space. "_This_ is thank you…"

Edward reached up and placed his fingers at the nape of Bella's neck, guiding her mouth closer to his. Gone were the tentative kisses of yesterday. Today's kiss was desire-ridden – the consequence of longing thoughts and self-deprivation.

Panting, they pulled away from each other.

"Am I really the first guy you've ever kissed?" Edward asked.

"Ugh! I'm never telling you anything ever again," Bella sighed in frustration, assuming Edward was poking fun at her.

"I just asked because you're a really good kisser," Edward admitted with a side-winding smile.

"Oh," Bella looked away in embarrassment. "So are you."

The quiet atmosphere of the room hung in the air, longer than socially appropriate. Edward watched Bella for a signal of her feelings. She toyed with the edges of the worksheet in her lap while stealing glances at Edward.

_Damn, she's cute._

Cute. It wasn't a sentiment Edward usually had about girls. Fine, hot or sexy were terms Edward usually ascribed to members of the opposite sex who'd captured his interest before appearing in his fantasies wearing nothing more than a smile. Never _cute._ Cute was for things you wanted to snuggle, lovingly stroke and whisper sweet nothings to.

So, what was to be said about Bella, of whom he'd recently had the most erotic fantasies of his life about, but also who's hand he now ached to grasp in his own.

"Bella, do you like movies?" he asked before he realized what was coming out of his mouth.

"Um…yeah. Why?" she asked.

Sudden panic washed over him as he realized what he was about to do. Was he seriously about to ask her out on a date? Forks was a small town and if Edward took Bella out on a Friday night, everyone would know about it. Was he ready for that?

"Just wondering," he muttered.

_Apparently not._


	14. Chapter 14

**The Tutor**

**Chapter 14 – Internet Instruction**

Who Edward was when they were alone and who Edward was at school was something Bella was struggling to adjust to. It had been two weeks since they'd first kissed, and the Cullen home, as the site of their tutoring sessions, had since been abandoned. Since Charlie was rarely home before the sun set, Edward and Bella rested in their ability to get to know one another without the threat of prying eyes and ears.

Still, Bella often succumbed to the gnawing insecurity that Edward didn't think she was good enough for him, and that's why he acted like she was nothing more than another member of the Forks High School student population. A student that he sometimes walked to class with, sometimes stared across the hall at…and sometimes kissed against the lockers when no one was looking.

But at home…away from everyone else, Edward was becoming someone that Bella really…craved. Saying that she liked him was an understatement and she didn't have enough miles on the road of relationships to compare it to anything else, but her body seemed to be telling her that she wanted more than his kisses. And it seemed like Edward wanted that too, but he was holding back. At least she thought he was. Whenever their kisses deepened beyond hungry, lust-filled clutches, Edward would pull away. But Bella saw the desire in his eyes…unless it was just the desire in her own reflected in his.

She struggled with how to tell him…how to ask him for more without getting herself in over her head. Because she knew enough about guys to know that once you started down the path of a physical relationship, there was no going back. And since they didn't have an actual _relationship_, Bella wasn't comfortable, mentally, going there. But physically, her body was screaming for it.

Each time they were together, Bella tried to think of a way to introduce the lack of progression in their relationship, but nothing ever seemed appropriate – and she certainly didn't want to come flat out and ask Edward.

A few times, she'd attempted to prompt him and the conversation had spiraled into something else entirely, and steering it back to her intended route would have been too obvious. She had all but decided to leave matters be and let nature run its course when it finally happened – instigated by a conversation about, what else? Porn.

********

As Edward leaned against the dresser in Bella's room and watched her pull at the now tattered driver's manual, he knew he had to put an end to this…whatever it was, and soon. He felt himself being lost to this girl before him and it freaked him out in the worst way.

Never before had Edward cared about a girl's virtue. But Bella…she was so _good_. He'd never met someone so nice. And she never asked for anything in return. She just did things for him as if it was the way life was supposed to be.

That revelation alone further expanded the canyon between he and Bella, because that's not who Edward was. He didn't do anything nice for anyone, and if he did, it was only to get something in return.

Edward had nothing to offer Bella, but even worse, she never asked him for anything. It made him feel unworthy in ways he hadn't thought possible. And he hated feeling that way. And sometimes he hated her for making him feel that way.

But then, they'd be together, in much the same fashion as they were now, and the longing for her body would overwhelm him; so much so that he couldn't focus on anything else. Not even the eminent test that would grant him his driver's permit.

Secretly, Edward was trying to devise a plan that would still allow Bella to help him get what he needed to pass the driver's test, but put an end to his misery in the physical realm. Because seriously, he couldn't jack off anymore often than he already did without it being considered abnormal beyond all reason. When he and Bella had started their tutoring sessions, once a day had been enough. When he and Bella had begun being cordial to one another, twice a day was sufficient. Add in the kissing and Esme was threatening to change Edward's address to the bathroom because he was in there so often.

Yes, he had to end this. Because he could no longer handle what was happening to his mind nor his body. He felt out of control in Bella's presence. And he wanted her. _Really_ wanted her, but not in the way he'd wanted anyone else. And not knowing what that meant scared the hell out of him.

Suddenly Bella was laughing and Edward was distracted from his inner turmoil.

"What's funny?" Edward asked.

Bella pointed to the driver's education manual. "There's a typo. It says porn instead of torn." She laughed.

The mistake wasn't funny at all to Edward, but the fact that Bella was amused by it _was_. And he smiled at her reaction.

"Some eighth grade nerd probably hacked into the system and changed it." Edward rolled his eyes.

"I don't get the draw to it." Bella's brow furrowed.

"What? Hacking or porn?"

"Porn. It's so…disgusting. It must be a guy thing."

"I know plenty of girls who love porn just as much as guys do." Edward watched Bella closely for the moment she blushed. She didn't disappoint.

"Really?"

He could tell she was wondering if there was something wrong with her for not being endeared to the porn industry.

"I suspect that girls are more interested in learning technique than seeing the pictures…but whatever."

"Those magazines teach technique?"

Edward paused. Answering that question would reveal something about himself…_aw_ _fuckit._

"The movies are better than the magazines." He answered before adding, "You've never seen a porno?"

Bella shook her head. "No. Why would I sit around and watch that?"

"Some of them are really funny. But I guess if you're a prude…"

"I'm not a prude! Just because I don't sit around watching women be degraded and abused-"

"If you've never seen a porno, how do you know what goes on in them?"

Bella stared at him quietly as she calculated her answer. "Well, I don't, but I can imagine."

"So you like to imagine what goes on in pornos, but you don't actually want to watch one?"

"I didn't say that, I just said I've never seen one."

"So you do want to watch one?"

"Edward!"

Bella pretended to go back to studying about the Washington State traffic system. Edward let the conversation drop, because he was going to explode…or so he thought. But Bella looked up at him from underneath her lashes and his breath hitched.

Please ask me about cars…please ask me about cars…please ask me about cars…

"Why'd you ask if I wanted to watch a porno? Do you have one or something?" she asked coyly.

"Everyone with an Internet connection has a porno." Edward answered.

And at the same time, both of their eyes slid over to the willing and waiting computer perched upon Bella's desk.

********

Bella stood next to Edward as he sat at her desk and fired up her computer. She noticed that he was quite proficient at getting on the Internet, and Google. With a few keystrokes, he'd brought up an entire list of videos that looked exactly the way Bella had expected them to: women were being degraded and demoralized all over the place.

"See! That woman's wearing a dog collar!" she pointed.

"Yeah, but that's another woman holding the leash." Edward pointed out.

Bella glanced over at her bedroom door and saw that it was wide open. She quickly crossed the room and closed and locked her bedroom door. The last thing she needed was a surprise early arrival from Charlie.

When she once again stood next to Edward, he put his arm around her hips and guided her to sit on his lap facing the computer. He leaned over her shoulder to watch the computer screen.

"So what do you want to see?" Edward asked.

"I don't know!" Bella quickly told him. What did he expect her to say? She had no prior knowledge of these things.

"Just say a word and type it in." Edward prompted.

"Fine…kittens."

Edward rolled his eyes. "Well I can think of another word for cat that will get you better results," he hinted.

"Yes, because that's exactly what I want to stare at." Bella said.

"Well I don't exactly want to sit here and ogle a bunch of dicks, but this is your first time seein' porn, so it's ladies choice." Edward offered.

Bella was extremely uncomfortable, though she wasn't quite sure why. Was it because Edward was watching her so intently, or was it because despite the boldness and rawness of what they were doing, she didn't want to stop?

"Fine. Bring up some bimbo faking an orgasm so I can prove my point." Bella finally stated.

"Go ahead. Type it in," Edward incited as his hands rested high up on Bella's thigh.

Bella's fingers ambled across the keyboard and within a few seconds, many options were before her. She clicked on a random video and the sights and sounds the emanated from her computer caused her flesh to ignite.

Just her luck, the video she'd chosen hadn't been one of the hardcore fuck-fests she'd heard about. Instead, it was a long, intimate foreplay session where the man was paying more attention to the woman than she was to him.

It wasn't until she looked down that Bella realized that the tingling sensation she felt on her legs wasn't caused by her thoughts, but by Edward's hands running languidly up and down her thighs.

When he reached up and slid her hair out of the way to expose her neck, Bella didn't protest. And when Edward's lips connected with the flesh atop her collarbone, a breathy shudder filled the atmosphere.

With each upward and downward stroke on Bella's thigh, Edward's hands roamed higher and higher until they brushed over the waistband of her jeans and rested upon the soft flesh of her abdomen.

Bella leaned back against Edward's chest and turned her head, searching for his mouth. He was quick to answer her with a kiss so zealous that Bella couldn't stifle the moan it induced.

Edward's tongue cascaded deep into Bella's mouth as his hands ascended upon her chest, underneath her shirt. Bella's hand traveled to Edward's hair, caressing the soft locks, while at the same time holding him to her mouth, encouraging him to keep doing what he was doing.

As they continued in their lust-filled activities, it became apparent to Bella that Edward was introducing "new material" into their sessions. Even his kisses made her feel like a kindergartener being schooled by a college professor.

Suddenly she started to over-think what she was doing and she couldn't concentrate on the sensation of kissing Edward, but only on her own inadequacy. Just as she was about to pull back in resignation, Edward whispered into her mouth:

"I fuckin' love your lips."

With newfound vigor, Bella turned her body so that she was facing Edward. And instead of focus on the ungraceful and awkward steps it took to gain her new position, she focused on the desire-filled eyes that now washed over her uninhibited.

********

No longer holding back, Edward pushed Bella's shirt above her breasts, revealing the thin, delicate fabric of her bra. Nimble fingers made quick work of the clasp, and in no time at all her perky breasts were exposed to Edward's teasing and taunting hands.

"Perfect," Edward said breathlessly as his lips slid to from Bella's mouth, to her neck before descending upon her ample peaks.

Bella tossed her head back with torrid breathing as her fingers navigated through Edward's hair. As he continued to squeeze and palm one breast while licking and biting the other, Bella felt her hips involuntarily thrust against him, and the rock hard stiffness that pressed against her core when she did so, set Bella's mind reeling.

In that second, with that one motion, Bella understood the phrase, "swept away by desire". Because at that moment in time she was ready to disregard how long she'd known Edward, their lack of actual relationship status, the fact they hadn't even discussed birth control…or sex, for that matter. Because at that exact second, the only thing foremost in Bella Swan's mind was how much she wanted to re-enact, with Edward, every detail she'd just seen on the computer screen.

And if it hadn't been for the heavy boot-laden steps of her father, trudging up the stairs, she would have.

"Bella? You home?"

* * *

**Thank you all so much for your reviews. Also, for those familiar with Twilighted, I'd love to have you stop by the forum there for this story. It'll be fun, and I post future chapter teasers there!**


	15. Chapter 15

**The Tutor**

**Chapter 15 – Firsts**

"So, have you given anymore thought to our double date?" Alice hinted, letting Jasper know that she had been serious when she'd asked about it the first time.

"Uh…yeah?" Jasper stammered, knowing he'd been able to secure one.

"So we have one this weekend, then?" Alice batted her eyes at Jasper.

"Well, not exactly."

"Jasper," Alice's tone was warning.

"Only because I've been spending so much time planning something else." Jasper quickly added.

"Go on, I'm listening." Alice crossed her arms over her chest and began to tap her foot impatiently.

"Remember I told you my parents are going on that cruise for a week?"

"Uh-huh?"

"So we'll have the whole house to ourselves for four weekdays and one weekend…"

"So?" Alice still wasn't impressed.

"So I thought we could have a party."

Suddenly Alice's face brightened and a smile burst forth. Jasper exhaled in relief as she flung her arms around him.

"A party! Jasper that's wonderful!" Loosening her grip on Jasper, she began to tick off on her fingers who she would invite. "Wait a minute," she stood still suddenly, "is Emmett going to be there? Because that changes everything."

"Why?"

"Why? Because it will be all about him and his baboon friends if he's there. Those guys he hangs out with are asses and I can imagine the horrible things they'll do to anyone smaller than them."

"Alice, if I want my brother to keep his mouth shut about me having a party, I can't ban him from coming."

"The weekend is long. You have your party on Friday and let him have his party on Saturday…while you're spending the night at my house."

Jasper grinned. "I'll see what I can do."

"And I promise you won't be sorry."

"I bet you I won't," Jasper said as he pulled Alice over to him and planted a kiss on her cheek. "And if you're inviting people, can you do me a favor?"

"What's that?"

"Can you invite Bella?"

"Bella? Why?"

"You want that double date, don't you?"

********

Rosalie avoided the cutesy cuddling Jasper and Alice were doing at the moment. Hoping they didn't see her, she hid behind the west wing of the building and watched students as they were milling about. She was looking for Jessica when her eyes landed upon Bella. Her eyes' immediate response was to narrow in hatred. The muscles in her neck tensed as she grimaced at the sight of the girl she considered her rival…her enemy.

Just as Rosalie was watching Bella enter the girls' bathroom, Alice bounced up in front of her face.

"There you are!" Alice said. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

"Come with me. I have to go to the bathroom," Rosalie said suddenly, dragging Alice off towards the restroom.

"What? Why? You know I hate going in public restrooms unless it's absolutely necessary," Alice protested the entire way.

"Alice, you're starting to sound more like your mother every day." Rosalie snapped.

"Hey! I resent that!" Alice spat back.

Regardless, Rosalie knew her comment would shut Alice up – and it did. _Works every time._

Upon entering the bathroom, Rosalie was elated to see that the restroom was empty – which meant Bella was exactly where Rosalie wanted her…

"Ugh, I hate this lipstick color," Rosalie said, as she looked at her reflection in the scratched up mirror.

"You have lipstick on?" Alice squinted to see it.

Rosalie ignored her. "I should invent a lipstick shade for the color my lips are after Edward kisses them. I swear, I love the color my lips turn after he's sucked on them for awhile."

"When did you kiss Edward?"

"I'd call it _Edward Kissed…_or _Kissed-by-Edward_. Doesn't that sound like something you'd want to buy?"

Alice laughed. "You're crazy."

"What? It's a perfect color on me."

"You think everything about Edward is perfect on you."

Rosalie let out a trill of laughter fit for the stage. "This is true."

Bella chose that moment to emerge from the bathroom stall. Even though she didn't make eye contact, Rosalie thought she noticed a tinge of discomfort in the girl's facial expression.

"Oh, Bella!" Alice turned on her. "What are you doing a week from Friday night?"

Bella looked as shocked at Rosalie.

"Um… well, I don't know," Bella's eyes darted from Alice to Rosalie and back again.

"Okay, well I was told to invite you to a party. Jasper, my boyfriend, and I are having a party next Friday night at Jasper's house. His parents are out of town and it's going to be wild."

Bella nodded her head and gave a tight-lipped smiled. "I'll try to make it." She ducked out of the bathroom quickly thereafter.

Rosalie quickly looked at Alice in irritation.

"What the hell?!"

"What?" Alice asked innocently.

"You fuckin' invite her to a party that you haven't even invited _me_ to? Some best friend you are."

"Oh don't go all teeny-bopper on me. I see you way more than I see her; I had to invite her when I had an opportunity. And, anyway, I came over to talk to you and you dragged me, going on and on about Edward's kisses, into the bathroom. I didn't have a chance."

Suddenly Alice put two and two together and realized Bella was in the restroom when Rosalie had been going on and on about kissing Edward. "Oh, you're bad," she said with wide eyes.

"What?" Now it was Rosalie's turn to feign innocence.

********

Bella lingered by her locker a bit before going to class. She had yet to see Edward that morning, and she was dying to know if he'd gotten in trouble last night for breaking curfew on a school night again.

Bella had to hand it to Edward: he was the best on-the-spot liar and plotter she'd ever met. When Charlie had come home early and interrupted their _tutoring session_, Bella had all but shut down in fear. But not Edward. He quickly and quietly stepped into her closet and took the battery out of his cell phone.

After Bella had resituated her shirt, smoothed out her hair and gotten her breathing back to normal, she'd opened the door to find her father waiting patiently on the other side of it.

"Just checkin' on ya, kiddo," he's said.

Bella had been certain that he'd been staring over her shoulder into her room, but she could have been imagining things.

"I'm fine. Just finishing up on some homework," Bella had lied.

Charlie would have seen her backpack and all the paperwork on her bed to solidify her alibi.

"Just lettin' you know I was home…in case you wanted to start dinner," Charlie hinted.

"Um, yeah. Okay." Bella had agreed. Anything to get Charlie to go away.

He'd finally quit questioning her and went downstairs to watch television. Edward had come out then and told Bella he'd wait until Charlie went to the bathroom before ducking out of the house.

"You drove me over here. He has no idea that I'm here," Edward had reasoned.

Bella succumbed to his rationale and felt the tension in her body start to lessen. She looked around her room, realizing that the evidence wasn't all that incriminating. Nothing was really out of place…

And that's when she saw it. In all of her haste to get dressed and hide Edward, she'd forgot to shut down her Internet browser. And there, in graphic details was a flashing alternation of naked bodies and bold, bright red XXX's across her computer screen.

Finally Charlie had gone upstairs to take a shower and Bella mumbled something about needing an ingredient at the store (thank you, Edward!) before quickly darting out of the house with Edward quickly on her heels.

With the scary situation behind them, Edward and Bella had laughed about it all the way to his house. But that was the last she'd heard from him, thus her present situation of hoping shamelessly to see him soon. If he'd gotten in trouble because of her, she'd have to go to his parents and plead on his behalf, and she really didn't want to do that.

With no sign of Edward, Bella headed off to class. She really wasn't excited about it, since it was a class she shared with Alice and Rosalie. The party invitation Alice had extended that morning really threw Bella for a loop. She was almost convinced that it was a joke. But then Alice had said that someone told her to invite Bella. Edward and Jasper were good friends. Had Edward told Alice to invite her to the party?

Almost as soon as that question entered Bella's mind, she saw Edward. He appeared to have just arrived, as he was still alone. Mentally she gauged the amount of time it would take to speak to him and still make it to class on time. She decided she'd risk it and bounded over to him.

"Hey," she said when she'd caught up to him. She was slightly breathless from her jog over. _Note to self: don't jog._

Edward tried to hide a smile as he watched her approach, but it betrayed him. "Hey." He said in return.

"Did your parents ream you for coming home late last night?" Bella asked.

"It wasn't even late, Bella. You worry too much," Edward rolled his eyes.

"Thank goodness. I'm so relieved," Bella let out a heavy sigh as she reached up to rub Edward's arm. He recoiled at her touch.

Jasper walked up to Edward and looked at Bella before playfully tapping Edward on the shoulder.

"Am I interrupting _anything_?" he asked with raised eyebrows.

Edward turned to him with an irritated look on his face. "Man, shut-up."

Bella thought this was a great time to ask Edward about the party, but he'd turned his back and was talking to Jasper as if she wasn't there. She waited a few minutes for him to acknowledge her, but when Jasper started throwing apprehensive glances her way, she knew that even he felt the inappropriateness of Edward's behavior. So Bella left, without glancing back.

********

Edward wandered into second period, his first class of the day, as if he wasn't eager to see Bella, but his eyes darted over to her chair immediately. He cursed himself for his lack of self-control.

"Do you know what we're doing in here today?" he asked.

"Nope," Bella said shortly.

_She's got her panties in a bunch over something. _

Miss Teale's voice broke through the murmur of student voices as she announced a school assembly that coming Friday. The assembly would interrupt their class meeting, so there would be no homework given over that weekend. A thunderous cheer erupted from the class, but Miss Teale quickly stifled it by stating that she would have to give extra class-work throughout the week to make up for the lost time. Groans emanated from the group.

"I hate those assemblies. They're always so stupid," Edward grunted. When Bella didn't acknowledge him, he stole a glance over at her to see that she was absent-mindedly scribbling something on a piece of paper. "Hello? Earth to Bella."

"Do you have multiple personality disorder or something?" Bella snapped at him.

"What?" Edward's temper flared, not necessarily at the insult, but at the fact that he didn't really understand her question.

"I'm invisible to you one minute, and the next minute you're worse than Chatty Cathy. What gives?" Bella whispered fiercely.

_Oh not this again!_

"Bella, I told you –"

"Yeah, yeah. You don't like people in your business. So that's your free license to treat me like crap when your friends come around? And why can't you tell your friends about us? I mean, don't friends usually know about things like this?" Bella motioned between herself and Edward.

"Things like _what_?" Edward's tone was combative.

Bella was a smart girl, and Edward knew she would get the insinuation of his words. And true to self she didn't disappoint.

"Mr. Cullen, Miss Swan? Is there something you'd like to share with the class?" Miss Teale looked very impatient from where she stood at the front of the class. Edward simply acted as if she hadn't directed a question at him and Bella quickly shook her head before apologizing quietly.

After class, Edward decided he'd approach Bella and lighten the blow a little bit. But Bella wouldn't have it. She walked past him brusquely and when he reached out to grab her by the arm, she shook him off. Edward let her go. He watched her stalk off towards her locker, and after a few minutes he casually walked after her.

"Bella, what the hell?" Edward asked when he approached her at her locker. He looked around to make sure no one would see this girl chastise him.

Bella turned to face him abruptly. She opened her mouth to speak and then paused. Finally she looked him square in the eye and asked, "What am I to you?"

"What?" Edward stepped back.

"What am I to you? How would you introduce me to your friends?"

"As Bella…if I introduced you."

"As a friend, or a…"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Like Rosalie…would you introduce her as your _friend_, too?"

Edward didn't understand the question. _Why was she mentioning Rosalie?_

"Look, I probably wouldn't even introduce you. It's none of their business-"

"What is that all about anyway? Why is your life some big secret? What is this _business_ that you're trying so hard to protect? So people know you like me. So what?"

"I never told you that." Edward said the words before he'd thought them through.

"Oh," Bella said. The rejection she felt was evident on her face.

"I'm not saying I don't. It's just that we've never even talked about it, so why would I-"

"Edward, I'm not doing this anymore." Bella fumed.

"Doing what?"

"This…this game you play." She threw her hands up in the air. "You're so hot and cold."

Edward felt pained for a split second but he didn't give his mind any time to analyze the emotion before his defense mechanisms kicked into gear. It happened so quickly that he didn't even realize there was a process occurring.

"Whatever." He said.

"Yeah, so good luck on your driving test and all that." Bella said as she walked away.

********

Bella's feelings were conflicted after there interaction with Edward. She felt slightly guilty for abandoning him without completing the task of helping him pass his written driver's test. But that guilt paled in comparison to the anger she felt at how he'd disregarded her. She couldn't believe he only considered her a friend.

Actually, that was a lie. After she'd overheard Rosalie talking about Edward that morning in the restroom, she'd struggled to categorize what she had with Edward. Perhaps that was why she'd blurted out the question that probably was meant for a different time, a more intimate time. But no, Big Mouth Bella had to go and ask Edward what she was to him on a Tuesday morning between second period and third.

Of course the conversation hadn't gone well! Bella knew how Edward felt about people knowing all the details of who he was. He'd told her that from the very beginning and she'd pretended to accept that. And was it right to get mad at him because she wanted to change the rules?

"Hell yes," Bella muttered to herself as she made her way to her next class.

Who was she kidding? Blaming herself was just a way of not having to deal with the realization that Edward was using her for his own physical gratification. He'd never given her any indication that she was anything more to him than someone he could use mentally and physically. Bella had filled in the blanks on anything above and beyond that, and she'd filled them in incorrectly.

********

Rosalie had been surprised when Edward had shown up at the smoking rock. He hadn't come down in so long. And now he had even joined them for lunch, something else that had been an irregularity the past several weeks.

"Hey stranger," Rosalie greeted him.

He gave her a casual nod before taking a seat across from her. He didn't have any food – he never did. Instead, he took drags off a cigarette he barely attempted to conceal.

"Hey, second hand smoke kills," Jessica complained as she waived her hand in front of her face to fan away the smoke.

"I'm counting on it," Edward countered as he exhaled his smoke in her direction.

Jessica flipped him off before turning her attention over Edward's shoulder to Tyler Crowley, who happened to be passing by.

Rosalie jabbed Jessica in the ribs. "Having second thoughts?"

"No way," Jessica shook her head. "Tyler was an idiot." Still, the look on her face was longing. "Anyway, he's got a thing for Bella."

"Bella?" Rosalie wrinkled her nose. _If she heard that girl's name one more time today…_

"I know. I was shocked, too." Jessica nodded.

"Well good for her," Rosalie plastered on a fake smile. "I hear he's got donkey dick."

"It's not that big…but close," Jessica laughed.

Rosalie made it a point to watch Edward. Sure enough, he glanced at her, but quickly looked over at Jasper, whom he was having a conversation with about the upcoming party. The swift eye contact was the only indication Edward had given that he'd heard Rosalie's words.

********

The phone was ringing as Bella let herself into the front door of her house. She glanced at the caller ID and saw that it was a call from the Cullen home. Bella silently reprimanded herself for being a tad bit excited. She did her best to act indifferent and disinterested as she picked up the phone.

"Yes?" she answered.

"Bella?"

"Mrs. Cullen?" Bella asked quickly, immediately embarrassed at her lack of telephone etiquette.

"Yes. Are you all right? Did I catch you at a bad time?"

"No, everything's fine."

"Oh good. Well, the reason I called," Esme cut right to the chase, "was I wanted to invite you out to lunch as a thank you for all of your hard work with Edward this semester. Miss Teale assured me that he's going to earn his credits for the class."

"That's great," Bella said, even though she didn't want to hear anything about Edward…_well, not about his schoolwork, anyway._

Bella made plans to dine with Esme midday on Sunday afternoon. She'd wanted to make sure Edward wasn't going to be in attendance, but there wasn't any way for her to do that politely, so she'd just left it alone.

Charlie came into the house from the backyard, and it had startled Bella. She hadn't even known he was home.

"Hi, Dad," she greeted him.

"Hi yourself," he said before removing a beer from the refrigerator. Bella hated when he drank in the afternoon, but she kept her thoughts to herself. "So, no Edward today?"

"Nope," Bella said matter of fact.

"What happened there?" Charlie asked, tuning in to the defensive tone in Bella's voice. "You two break up or somethin'?"

"You have to be together to actually break up, Dad." Bella informed him.

Charlie tilted his head and gave her a look that told her he was smarter than she thought he was. "Are you sitting there trying to get me to believe that you two weren't seeing each other?" he asked.

"Dad, I swear. We weren't "seeing" each other," Bella stated, complete with finger quotes.

"Well I don't know what you kids are calling it these days, but it all means the same thing." Charlie said, convinced that he was right.

Bella rolled her eyes and gave up. There was no use in trying to convince Charlie. The lack of Edward-centered conversations, appearances and telephone calls would eventually clue him in.

********

Edward knew he despised Jessica Stanley but her little tidbit of information about how Tyler Crowley felt about Bella further elevated her on his Top Ten Most Hated list. It seemed as if she had a demon or some other mystical power doing her bidding because now, Edward saw Tyler and Bella everywhere, and at all the wrong moments.

One of his first experiences of the morning on Wednesday was Tyler walking past Bella's locker, eyeing her with lust as she bent over to put a textbook in her backpack. Edward had watched in irritation as Tyler pimp-walked over to her and leaned up against her locker as if he was God's gift to women. Bella had her back to Edward so he couldn't tell if she was interested or not, but Tyler stood there and talked for awhile, so she hadn't sent him packing, much to Edward's chagrin.

And of course, from his position, Edward had been privy to the glance Tyler had directed back towards Bella's ass as he walked away. That motion had reminded Edward about the afternoon he'd spent with Bella in her bedroom…his own hands on that very same ass…

Desire disguised as fury raced through Edward and he had to catch himself before he walked right up to Tyler and punched him in the face. _Get a grip on yourself. Bella doesn't belong to you._

And then in English class, _his_ English class, someone dropped a note on Bella's desk, explaining that it was from Tyler. Bella thanked the messenger and then scrambled to put it away. And since Bella was acted as if he didn't exist at the moment, he couldn't ask her about it to gauge her reaction.

At lunchtime, Edward tried to no avail to keep his eyes off the table where Mike Newton and his cronies sat. Bella was flanked on each side by an over-grown Neanderthal who insisted upon touching her in some way, shape, or form, every few seconds.

Perhaps the worst part of the whole scenario is that Jasper had been present for just about every Bella/Tyler-centric scene.

Tactfully, Jasper waited until after lunch, when he and Edward were alone, with no intent of going to their next class.

"Man, he's all over your girl." Jasper noted without looking at Edward.

_She's not my girl!_ It was what Edward wanted to scream, but his statement came out more like a question. "She's not my girl."

"Really? Because that's not how it seems to me."

"What do you know?" Edward scoffed.

"Well have you kissed her?"

Edward hesitated before nodding.

"Fooled around?"

Another affirmative.

"Met her parents?"

"Her dad. Her mom lives somewhere else."

"She's met your parents?"

"Yeah," Edward didn't bother to disclose the details of exactly how Bella had become acquainted with Mr. and Mrs. Cullen.

Jasper shrugged. "Sounds like a relationship to me."

"But it's not," Edward insisted.

"Why not? You obviously like her," Jasper said. He noticed the defensive position of Edward's body when Edward turned to face him quickly. "And don't give me some wiseass remark about how this is a conversation for pussys. I just…well…you're better since you met her. And it _is_ obvious that you feel _something_ for her, whether you think you're hiding it or not."

Edward looked down at the ground and when his eyes finally focused on Jasper's, there was an air of vulnerability there that Jasper had never seen before.

"I can't be that guy who plays chess with her dad or goes hiking with the family. I don't have anything to say about sports and…what if she wants me to …aw nevermind. It's pointless." Edward kicked at the dirt.

Jasper laughed. "I've known Alice for a lot longer than you've known Bella, and I still have a hard time remembering her dad's name. And don't ask me what he does for a living, because I haven't got a clue. I've never had a conversation with him that's lasted longer than one minute and aside from one family vacation that Alice dragged me on, I've never really spent any time with him. I do know her mother, though. And Alice doesn't really spend any time at all with my parents. My mother doesn't really like her – but don't tell Alice that," Jasper added.

"Hm." Edward mumbled.

"Aw shit! I have a test right now! I forgot!" Jasper took off towards his class, leaving Edward alone with his thoughts.

If Edward thought he was going to get away from Bella once the school day had ended, he was sorely mistaken. As soon as he entered the house, his mother looked behind him as if she were expecting someone else to come through the door.

"Where's Bella?" Esme asked.

"At home, I guess," was Edward's answer.

Disappointment clouded Esme's face. "You two aren't studying today?"

Edward shrugged. "We don't really need to."

Esme put the spoon down that she'd been using to stir the contents of a large pot. "Okay, what happened?"

"Nothing."

"Edward, you've been at her house quite a bit over the past few weeks, now all of a sudden she doesn't show up on a day she's scheduled to tutor you? Something happened."

"Nothing happened." Edward was beginning to get frustrated.

"Huh. And when I called her to ask her to lunch yesterday, she didn't even mention that the two of you weren't working together anymore." Esme said more to herself than Edward.

Edward choked on the lemonade he'd just chugged. "You're having lunch with her? Why? When?"

"On Sunday."

"No!"

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want you to."

"Well, it's too late. I already asked her."

"Mom, you have to cancel…please!"

"It's not going to work this time, Edward."

"Arrggh!" Edward yelled before throwing his lemonade bottle in the trashcan and stomping up the stairs.

Esme giggled silently to herself. "I thought only teenaged girls acted like that."

Edward felt that Wednesday had been bad enough and expected things to get better on Thursday. So he was slightly surprised when they didn't.

The day started going downhill right away when Miss Teale approached him as soon as he entered her class and asked him for his homework.

"What is this, second grade?" Edward commented snidely. _How dare she ask me for homework in front of everyone. Did she collect homework from anyone else?_

"Edward, you don't want to mess up your grade by not turning in your homework."

"But you said I was passing."

"I said you were passing if you turned in all your homework. Participation is a part of your grade, too."

"I'll turn it in tomorrow." Edward said.

"We don't have class tomorrow. You'll need to turn it in to me by the end of the day for credit."

Edward rolled his eyes and took his seat. There was no way he was going to be able to get that done – not without help. Edward looked at Bella out of the corner of his eye. He could see that she was looking at him. There was no way he was going to ask her for help. Not now.

He half-hoped that she would offer to help him, but she didn't. Much like the day before, she acted as if she didn't know who he was.

She didn't act like she didn't know who Tyler Crowley was though. It was almost as if Bella was becoming another person, someone Edward didn't recognize.

And it was almost better this way, Edward decided. Because if she became someone else, she became someone that he didn't care about as much. And right now, he really needed to not care about her as much.

********

The girls' bathroom smelled horribly of fecal matter and lemon scented cleaning products. Yet Bella preferred the odorous conditions to one more second in the presence of Tyler Crowley. The guy just couldn't take a hint! And where he left off, Mike Newton picked up. She felt like the unlucky girl in an old Night At the Roxbury Saturday Night Live skit.

On one hand, it was nice not to have to sit by herself, but after a few days in the presence of Tyler and Mike, solitude looked extremely enticing. But Bella had allowed the antics a little to long and now it was too late; the damage was done. After her third period class, Tyler was always waiting outside her classroom door to walk her to lunch. And the conversation was always the same: everything and anything you've ever wanted to know about Tyler Crowley. Bella wanted to drive a fork through her hears, just so she wouldn't have to listen to it anymore.

Bella tried not to think of the irony of how she'd seemed to gain the overt affections of two guys she couldn't care less about, when the one she yearned for wouldn't stand to come out of the shadows.

No, Bella wouldn't dwell on that. Because dwelling on it always sent her eyes racing to where her heart already lay – with Edward Cullen. And she didn't want another glimpse of how he was perfectly content not to have her presence in his life. It was business as usual with Edward. He was happy just having his friends, sans one Bella Swan.

There was once, earlier, during English, where Bella thought that maybe Edward would speak to her. It was when Miss Teale had asked for his homework. Bella knew, and she was sure Edward knew it too, that there was no way that he was going to finish yesterday's homework before school ended that day.

Bella felt that she was at a crossroads over the dilemma. Edward's pride had prevented him from asking for her help so he should suffer the consequences. Or had Edward assumed that she wouldn't help him because she'd told him she wouldn't? And was it really up to Edward, anyway? After all, Mrs. Cullen and Mr. Leary had made the arrangement for her to tutor Edward, and she had agreed to do it. Did she really have the right to stop, just because she had a falling out with Edward?

It was a conundrum that had her standing outside Miss Teale's classroom five minutes after the final bell had sounded. Bella waited and watched for a sign, anything, the help her decide what her next step would be. She saw Edward right then. He was headed in the direction of the smoking rock. Bella realized that Edward had resigned; he'd given up. He wasn't even going to try to help himself.

"Bella, is everything okay?" Miss Teale poked her head out of her classroom door. "I've been watching you for a few minutes. Did you need to talk to me?"

"Oh, uh…well, Edward's mom just told me to give you this." Bella thrust a folder forward towards her teacher.

"Oh good, he did do it!" Miss Teale seemed pleased. "He sure had me worried there for a minute."

"Yeah. Me too." Bella mumbled.

"And you've done a great job of helping him, Bella. I'm pleased to see that your work hasn't suffered at all with the extra duty…and I know Edward can be difficult. This is the second time I've had him in one of my classes. I never could get through to him, but you managed to do it." Miss Teale gushed.

"Um…thanks," Bella shifted her weight from one foot to the other nervously. "Okay, well, I have to get going so…see ya."

Bella hurried away, convinced that she'd just made the biggest mistake of her scholastic career.

********

Edward had tried and failed at getting his parents to let him skip school on Friday. He had explained to them that most of the day was going to be spent in some lame assembly that wouldn't further his education at all. That resulted in a fifteen-minute speech from Carlisle about how much time, effort and money went into school assemblies; and that not all learning experiences came from inside of a classroom…it was enough to send Edward running for the bus, just to get away from the lecture.

When Edward made it to school, late, he saw a student pilgrimage towards the school gymnasium, where the assembly was to be held. By sheer luck, he saw Alice, and Jasper was right next to her. Edward met up with them and they took a seat on the back bleachers once they'd entered the gym.

"This is going to be a complete waste of time," Edward complained.

"Speak for yourself. No history lecture, no notes, no quiz…this is heaven," Alice said as she wrapped Jasper's arm around her shoulders. Edward had to admit, she had a point. It was the perfect moment to let his mind check out.

Suddenly Jasper nudged Edward and made an inconspicuous pointing gesture towards the other side of the gym. Edward looked in the direction he'd indicated just in time to see Tyler pull Bella down into a seated position next to him. Bella looked flabbergasted at almost being knocked over by the action. She looked at Angela, who was on the other side of her, but Edward was too afar to judge the expression on her face. Edward wasn't too far, however, to notice that while Bella's face was turned towards Angela, Tyler put his hand in front of Bella's breast and made a squeezing motion like he was squeezing her chest. Then Tyler and Mike cracked up. Their laughter got Bella's attention and she turned to them then, but Tyler shook his head at her, the picture of innocence. It made Edward want to bash his face in.

Just before the lights were turned off and the gym immersed in darkness, Edward saw Tyler put his arm around Bella and Bella try to push him off. Edward sat up straighter in his seat. Up until that point, it was his assumption that Bella had welcomed all of Tyler's advances, but now it didn't look that way.

Movement off to the side fleetingly caught Edward's attention as one of the gym teachers entered the gym from the locker room. When Edward looked back over at Bella, she was engulfed in obscurity and he could no longer see her.

********

The assembly ended up being a presentation on arts provided by a local theater company. The modern dancers were talented, albeit a tad bit freaky. The percussionists with their makeshift instruments were Bella's favorite, and if Tyler hadn't been so distracting, with his constant poking, his over-zealous laughter and his cutting remarks, she might have enjoyed it more.

And then someone picked the exact moment the tumbling mimes came onto stage to shove their way into a seat behind her. Bella was poked and jabbed as she tried to understand what the performers were trying to convey.

And then Tyler Crowley put his hand on her shoulder…again. Bella sighed. She was just about to tell him to knock it off when she felt his warm breath on her ear.

"I need to talk to you."

That voice…and the extremely muted smell of cigarettes…

Bella turned to her left and saw Angela. She turned to her right and saw Tyler looking behind her, perturbed. Then she turned and looked behind her…at Edward.

"Edward?" Bella whispered, as if her eyes deceived her.

He motioned towards the door. "Let's go."

_Crap. This is about that English assignment._

Bella looked at the teachers, who all seemed equally engrossed in the show, before she followed Edward along the side wall of the gym before slipping into the locker room.

"Is this the boys' locker room?" Bella asked, as the smell indicated that it wasn't the girls.

Instead of answer her, Edward pressed her up against the cold stone wall and covered her mouth with his own.

Bella willed herself to push him off; to tell him that he didn't get to do this. He couldn't completely ignore her and then pull her into barren places and kiss her like she was his last source of air. She wanted to tell him that she'd already put an end to their private rendezvous – and she would have told him as much, if her mouth would just cooperate.

But her lips had a mind of their own. Instead of listen to head, they listened to her heart and they kissed Edward back in a way that told him they missed him.

"Wow. That was some thank you," Bella said breathlessly.

"Thank you?" Edward looked utterly confused.

"For doing your homework and turning it in to Miss Teale… Isn't that what this is about?" Bella wished she'd thought through her words before she'd said them out loud.

"You did my homework?" Edward seemed shocked. "When? How?"

"Yesterday during my free period. I learned that if I write with my left hand, my penmanship looks just like yours." Bella poked fun.

"Why did you do that?" Edward asked.

Bella attempted to step back from him, but she was already up against a wall and couldn't step back any further.

"Edward, you worked so hard…and I didn't want what happened between us to mess up your chance to graduate. It didn't seem fair."

Edward didn't speak for a long while, and Bella braced herself for a verbal tirade to come spewing forth from his mouth.

"I think that's the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me," Edward finally said.

Bella rolled her eyes and slightly smiled. "Edward, you're adopted. _That's_ the nicest thing anyone's ever done for you."

"Yeah, but they had no idea what they were getting. You know I'm a dick, and you still did something nice for me." Edward laughed.

"Well, I guess it's your turn to have a first," Bella blushed.

"A first?"

"Don't pretend like you don't know you've been like a million 'firsts' for me," Bella said. When Edward continued to look confused, she began to tick off a list for him. "First cigarette, first kiss, first…

"Boyfriend?" Edward whispered.


	16. Chapter 16

**The Tutor**

**Chapter 16 – Milestones**

"I don't want to do this right now," Edward protested. "I can't."

"You can. You're ready," Bella assured him.

The two teens stood outside of the Washington State Department of Motor Vehicles, looking at the building before them. Bella just wanted to get the written test over with, as it had no real bearing on anything for her, except that her father was requiring the effort as punishment for a speeding ticket. She already possessed a driver's license and was not in any danger of losing it, regardless of what she scored. Edward, on the other hand, was just starting the process of obtaining a license, and for him, the looming weight of failure was almost unbearable.

"What if…" Edward began.

"Edward, the most that can happen is that you fail the test today and you have to come back tomorrow to do it again. Either way, you win. Because if you have to take it again, at least you'll know what to expect and you'll be that much closer to passing it tomorrow." Bella reasoned.

Edward didn't look that convinced as he opened the door to the DMV and followed Bella inside.

Carlisle had submitted a signed medical document stating that Edward needed special accommodations for test taking. When he presented the letter, Edward was ushered into a small room with large windows. Inside, he sat in a small cubicle that housed a computer monitor and keyboard. The technician that had led Edward into the room hovered over the computer to ready it for Edward. Since Bella possessed no note for accommodations, she stood at a tall counter and prepared to take her test by hand.

They finished at roughly the same time. Edward took a seat in the waiting area while his score was submitted electronically. Bella stood in line to have her test scored manually by a DMV representative. She could hardly concentrate on the man that was marking her score, because Edward's name had been called. Bella watched his face as lit up.

"Did you pass?" she mouthed to him.

He gave her a nonchalant nod, as if to say, 'of course I did'.

"I'm sorry Miss. You missed one too many this time."

Bella was so busy communicating with Edward that she didn't understand what the gentleman before her was saying.

"What?" she asked him.

"You can only miss eight questions. You missed nine. You just missed it by one point. If you'd like to come back tomorrow, you can try again." He said. His nametag read Gary.

"What happened?" Edward came over to see what was taking Bella so long.

"Um…" Bella looked from Gary to Edward and back to Gary. "Thanks."

"Do you want your test? You can use it to study," Gary offered.

"Study?" Edward asked. Then a look of comprehension came over him. "Did you fail the test?"

"Shut it, Edward," Bella said in a threatening tone.

"You have got to be kidding me." Edward laughed. "That had to be the easiest test I've ever taken."

"They're not all the same," Bella defended herself as she walked away from Gary and headed towards the building's exit.

"This says a lot about the Phoenix driving system," Edward heckled Bella as he followed her to her truck. "You can get a driver's license there, but you can't even pass the written test here."

"Would you hurry up and get this out of your system? I don't want to listen to it all the way home." Bella told him.

"I don't know if I feel comfortable with you driving me home, what with you failing the written test and all. Maybe I should drive," Edward attempted to reach for Bella's keys.

"Oh no you don't. You don't have a driver's license and I do." Bella playfully swatted at him.

The game of keep away continued until Edward had Bella pinned up against the driver side of her truck.

"I can't believe I passed that fuckin' test," he whispered with a sparkle in his eye.

Bella recognized the amazement in his voice. He was no longer teasing her or making a remark at her expense. He was simply astounded by the outcome of his effort.

"I can," Bella whispered. "I'm so proud of you."

Bella reached up to smooth down one of Edward's stray locks as he leaned forward to kiss her. They took no notice of the passersby in the parking lot as they deepened their kisses, celebrating the moment.

"Is your dad home?" Edward whispered with a hint of desperation.

Bella nodded. "I'm surprised he's not out fishing since it's not raining," Bella remarked. "Can we hang out at your house? We always hang out at mine."

"That's because my house is lame. And my mom is _always_ there." Edward rolled his eyes.

"Do you really want to hang out at my house while my dad is there?" Bella asked.

"Good point. But I don't want to stay at my house too long. Total waste of a good Saturday." Edward said as he walked around to the passenger side of the truck.

As they drove towards the Cullen home, Bella smiled to herself at the "couple" moment she and Edward had just shared. They had officially been "boyfriend and girlfriend" for only a short period of time, but they'd already experienced a milestone together. As Edward's hand rested softly on Bella's thigh, she silently hoped they would experience many more.

********

Jasper exhaled in frustration as he sat at his dining room table with Alice. They were pretending to work on a big history project, but really, they were making preparations for their upcoming party. Actually, Alice was making preparations and Jasper was trying to get her to scale back a bit.

"Alice, we're not serving dinner." Jasper said for the fiftieth time. "There'll be barf all over the place if we do that. And I'm not buying imported beer. It's cheap beer or nothing."

"Jasper, this is our first party. Don't you want it to be good?"

"As long as there is music and beer, it'll be good."

"_Good_ music and _good_ beer," Alice corrected.

"People just want a place to hang out. I'm not spending all this money so people can get their kicks. No one ever does that at the parties I go to." Jasper complained. "I mean, I wouldn't care if it was just me, you, Edward, Bella-"

"Bella," Alice said as if she remembered something. "Jas, I don't think we can go on a double date with Bella and Edward."

"Why not?" Jasper asked. He had been curious to see Edward and Bella together now that they seemed to be in a relationship. It was a side of Edward Jasper had never gotten to see and he was dead set on getting as much ammunition as possible with which to tease Edward.

"Because Rosalie is my best friend and if I start hanging out with Bella…I don't know…it'll just be weird. I mean, I know Rosalie will feel betrayed and I don't want to do that to her." Alice explained.

"Okay, well Edward is my best friend, so just because Rosalie has this stalker crush, we can never all hang out?"

"Aarrgg!" Alice buried her face in her hands in anguish. "Why can't Edward just like Rosalie? My life would be so much better if he did."

"Sounds like high school drama," Emmett said as he made his presence in the archway of the dining room known.

Alice had gotten Jasper's brother Emmett to agree not to crash their party with his friends, in exchange for a party the following night, with Jasper and Alice providing the clean-up duty.

"Guys never have these kinds of problems," Emmett went on.

"So if your best friend liked a girl but she was with another guy, you'd hang out with her and the other guy?" Alice asked.

"You make it sound all 'Dawson's Creek'," Emmett waved his hands in the air as he mocked Alice. "It's not that big a deal. If I wanted to do something with a friend and he had his girl along, as long as we were having a good time I could care less." And then Emmett added, "and if my friend was some punk bitch who whined about who I spent time with then I'd find a new friend."

Alice rolled her eyes at his summation before turning her attention back to Jasper. "I don't care what he says, Rosalie is not going to be okay with me hanging out with Bella. And I don't even see what the risk is for. Bella and I have nothing in common. I tried to talk to her and, aside from the fact that she _won't_ talk, even if she did I'd have nothing to say. I can't compliment her clothes because they're horrible…except for the really cute top she wore the other day…"

"Alice," Jasper cut her off. "If you want to go on a double date, it's going to be Edward and Bella."

Now it was Alice's turn to sigh in exasperation. "How do you even know Edward will agree? I thought you said he didn't do the dating thing."

"Well…apparently Edward is doing a lot of things he didn't do before," Jasper answered.

********

Bella walked around Edward's room with an almost reverent awe. She had a feeling that he didn't allow many people in there, so she felt among the privileged few.

In all honesty, there wasn't that much to look at: a bed, a bedside table, a surprisingly uncluttered desk, a wall unit that housed a stereo, television and video game system and a chair.

"Nice," Bella said, although she wasn't sure that was the correct word. Not that it wasn't a nice room, it just didn't seem like it had Edward's imprint on it.

"I told you it wasn't much," Edward said.

"How much time do you spend in here?" Bella asked.

"I don't know," Edward shrugged. "Why?"

"It just doesn't seem like you."

"And what do you think my room should look like?" Edward sat down on his bed and clasped his hands in his lap as he awaited her response.

"Well…it's a lot neater than I'd thought it'd be." Bella began.

"So you think I'm messy?"

"Well…most guys are. Not that anything about you is messy," Bella backpedaled uncomfortably.

"What else?" Edward asked, amused by her discomfort.

"I don't know…it seems like…not decorated…but everything matches. Everything looks like it goes together…I mean, not that it should look like it came from a garage sale, but…oh nevermind," Bella said, flushed.

Edward laughed as he pulled her down beside him on the bed. "My mom bought all this stuff. I had no say in any of it. I'm sure she'd change it if I asked her to, but I don't really care, to tell you the truth. It's just a place to crash."

"Edward, it's really _nice_." Bella emphasized. "I'd love to crash here."

"Anytime you want," Edward said as he nuzzled kissed along her neck.

Bella closed her eyes and reveled in the moment. Having Edward's lips on her neck was a feeling she never planned to grow weary of.

In no time at all, Edward had shifted his weight onto Bella, enticing her into a reclined position, his lips never leaving her skin.

"Edward," Bella whispered, "Your mom's here."

"She's downstairs. She won't come up here," Edward said between kisses.

"How do you know?" Bella held him off.

"Ssshh." Edward's mouth moved from her neck to her lips, and Bella fell silent, lost in his caresses.

The kisses turned ardent and deep, and when Edward's hands found their way underneath Bella's shirt, his thumbs simultaneously stroking and manipulating her nipples, Bella moaned out his name.

_Did that soap opera moan just come from me?_

In addition to what he was doing with his hands at the moment, Edward introduced Bella to what she hoped was her first of many sensual weaknesses: the sultry whisper.

"Your tits feel so fuckin' awesome," Edward whispered in her ear.

Overcome with desire, Bella didn't know what to do with her hands. They roamed through Edward's hair, down his back, underneath his shirt…

"Bella," again with the whisper, "have you ever had an orgasm?"

Bella's mind tried to come down from the physical high Edward's actions had placed her on.

"Have you?" he asked again.

"No," Bella murmured in response.

"Do you want to?" Edward's words tickled Bella as they reverberated upon her ear.

When Bella pulled back from Edward to look deeply into his eyes, her breathing had yet to adjust to the cessation of activity.

"What do you mean…how…what would we…" Bella struggled to coherently express her thoughts.

Yet Edward understood her perfectly. "You don't have to have sex to have an orgasm."

Bella rolled her eyes and let out a quiet giggle. "I know that," she said, even though she wasn't quite sure that she did.

********

Edward didn't want to force Bella, but the craving he felt to explore her body couldn't be ignored. In asking her about the orgasm, Edward wondered if he'd freaked her out, but her lips were back on his and her hands were on his back taking rabid fistfuls of his shirt, clutching his body closer to hers. She wanted this.

"Do you want to?" Edward coaxed softly again, speaking of her release.

"Yes," Bella returned through closed eyes. It was all she said, but it was all Edward needed to hear.

With finesse, his hands traveled from her torso to the snap on the waistband of her jeans. When it opened with no difficulty, Edward began to ease down her zipper with his thumb and forefinger.

While one ear was tuned to Bella and any sound that would reveal her discomfort, the other ear heard a disturbance not so far away. Edward slowed his hands to rest atop Bella's underwear before sitting up and ceasing his actions all together. He held up a finger to his lips and motioned for Bella to stay where she was.

Quietly, Edward stepped to his bedroom door and poked out his head, careful not to allow a glimpse of anything in the room behind him.

Esme stood mere inches away with a stack of towels in her hand.

"Mom?" Edward asked. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, honey, you scared me!" Esme put her hand to her heart. "It was so quiet up here that I didn't think anyone was home. Is Bella in there with you?"

At the mention of her name, Edward could hear Bella scrambling around behind him.

"What are you doing?" Edward asked again. Edward knew Esme to be good at many things, but lying wasn't one of them. He knew that she'd known he was in his room with Bella.

"Just putting some towels away," Esme said.

"Upstairs? You never put towels in this closet." Edward bantered.

Esme looked at him silently for a long while before she motioned to him with her finger. Edward stuck his head back in his room to tell Bella he'd be right back.

"What?" he asked his mother in a tone that hinted that he was being greatly inconvenienced.

"What are you doing?" Esme asked as if she expected Edward to report that he was playing a board game.

"Just hanging out with Bella." Edward answered.

"And do you have to have the door closed for that?"

Edward shrugged. "Why not?"

"Because I don't think it's proper. If you and Bella are going to spend time in your room, you need to leave the door open."

"But I-"

"Door open or you can visit with one another in the den. The choice is yours." Esme told him with finality.

Edward cursed under his breath. "We were just leaving anyway."

********

Edward reappeared inside his bedroom as if nothing had transpired, but Bella could tell by the way he moved about her and the distance he kept that their moment of intimacy had passed. She internally groaned, but didn't say a word.

"You want to get out of here?" Edward asked.

"Where to?" Bella asked.

Edward shrugged. "Let's just go for a ride."

"Okay," Bella agreed. "Oh, what did your mom say about you passing the test?"

"I didn't tell her."

"You didn't tell her? But, Edward, she'll be so happy for you. You have to tell her." Bella silently hoped that Esme was still standing out in the hallway listening to them. That way she would know there was more to their relationship than whatever she'd imagined they were up to behind Edward's closed door.

"I'll tell her later," Edward said as he grabbed Bella by the hand and led her out of his room.

At the bottom of the stairs, Edward's sister, Maddie, was going through a bunch of brightly colored cards that looked like invitations.

"Here," Maddie held one up Edward before offering one to Bella.

"What's this?" Bella asked in a tone she reserved for small children.

"An invitation. You can come to my birthday party," Maddie said with a smile.

Bella opened the invitation and read about an upcoming roller-skating party in honor of Maddie's seventh birthday.

"Wow…roller skating," Bella disguised the horror at the thought of herself on wheels. Unless she was incased in a frame with a motor, being on wheels would be a horrible disaster.

"Are you going to come?" Maddie wanted to know.

"Of course," Bella said.

Esme stood nearby smiling at Edward and Bella. When Bella met her gaze, she saw something else beneath the expression, but she couldn't quite identify it. _Humor? Wonder? Apprehension?_

"Bella, don't forget about our lunch date for tomorrow," Esme reminded her as Bella was slipping out the door with Edward.

"I won't. I'm looking forward to it," Bella assured her.

"You don't have to go to that party," Edward said once he and Bella were outside and out of Maddie's earshot.

"Of course I do!" Bella told him. "I was invited."

Edward laughed. "So, all it takes is an invitation to get you to go somewhere?"

"Pretty much," Bella chuckled.

"Hmm…I'll have to remember that," Edward mumbled.

Bella had no idea where she was going, but Edward had told her to turn right once they'd left his driveway, and every now and then he'd spout off a direction.

The rain had once again picked up in Forks and Bella maneuvered her truck cautiously through it. After a short while, Edward directed Bella into an empty field and told her to park the car.

"Where are we?" Bella asked.

"It's just a place I come sometimes when I want to be alone," Edward told her.

It was another glimpse into who Edward was and Bella was honored that he was sharing more of himself with her.

"What do you do here?" Bella asked as she looked out her window. The rain beading up on windshield made it difficult for her to see clearly, but of what she could see, it was the opening to a beautiful meadow.

"Whatever I want," Edward said casually.

"And what do you want to do?"

They both knew what the answer to that question was when Edward leaned over and kissed Bella fervently.

Edward wasted no time with permission as he again unfastened Bella's pants and pulled them away from her hips.

"Come here," Edward's voice was low and controlled as he pulled Bella onto his lap so that her back rested against his chest. Bella was amazed at how Edward managed to nearly get her pants pulled halfway down with that one move.

As their lips made contact, Bella saw that Edward was watching her closely. She closed her eyes to break the intensity of his gaze, but she knew he was still watching.

Skilled hands pushed Bella's pants the rest of the way down her legs and Bella kicked out of them easily. With long gliding passes, Edward's palms swept up and down Bella's thighs. When his hands reached her knees, he spread them apart, opening her wide.

As the cold air pounded upon her hot flesh, Bella felt erotic and bold. She arched her back as she tried to force contact with Edward's hands while maintaining a connection with his mouth.

Edward's hand descended over Bella's mound. He stroked her outer lips, feeling the moisture there and spreading it around.

"You're so wet." He whispered in her ear before greedily consuming her mouth. As if to give her a taste of things to come, Edward began thrusting his tongue in and out of Bella's mouth with such force that she had to rest her head on his shoulder in order to receive from him.

And then, when Bella was sure she had reached the highest state of ecstasy, the tip of Edward's finger ever so gently grazed her clit.

"Haahhmm," she moaned into his mouth.

Edward spread Bella wide with the fingers on his left had while the fingers on his right hand stroked the length of her clit feverishly. Each time her breathing and moaning became erratic, Edward would lessen his touch, teasing her into a frenzy.

Slowly and methodically he inserted his middle finger deep into her pussy.

"Mmm, you're so tight," Edward breathed against her before clamping down softly on her neck.

The scent of Bella's arousal filled the cab of her truck as Edward throttled her sex, pumping his fingers in and out mercilessly as she writhed underneath him. He could tell the moment her orgasm was upon her by the tremble of her legs and the quivers of her crevice against his hand.

As she came down, Edward removed his finger at an extremely slow pace, eliciting another shiver from Bella.

Edward's eyes washed over Bella's bare lower half as she collapsed against him, panting to catch her breath. He kissed the top of her head, causing Bella to raise her face to his and graze his lips with hers.

As she shifted, Bella felt Edward, hardened and engorged beneath her.

"Do you want me to…do…something…" Bella loosely offered. She knew Edward was aware that she had absolutely no experience in pleasuring a guy, but she was willing if he was in need.

"You already did," Edward offered her a sexy smile as she moved off of him and reached down to retrieve her clothes.

The brazen boldness brought on by passion subsided with their decreased physical activity and Bella felt herself blushing at the mere memory of what had just transpired between them. She tried not to concentrate on Edward's fully clothed presence as she quickly slipped on her underwear and struggled to put on her jeans with grace in the confined space.

Driving home, Edward continued to glance over at Bella. All joking aside, she was the smartest person he'd ever met and he was aware that they both knew that the only reason Bella had failed her driver's test was because she had put all her effort and energy into making sure that Edward had passed. Bella had sacrificed her success to make sure Edward had victory. And though it was but a skewed version of the same, Edward had sacrificed his pleasure in their moment of intimacy so that Bella could experience hers in the fullest. It may not have been much, but it was what Edward had to offer. And he wanted to offer something.


	17. Chapter 17

**The Tutor**

**Chapter 17 – Minor Misunderstandings **

Esme moved absentmindedly about the house, tidying up already tidy rooms while she waited for Carlisle to finish his Sunday night rounds at the hospital and return to his family. An educated, once-world-traveler, Esme found it comical that of all her life experiences, she enjoyed the domestication of her life the best. In college, Esme would have thought daft any person who tried to tell her that she'd give up her jet setting lifestyle for an apron and the title of 'mommy'. But as she picked up one of Maddie's dolls from the living room floor, Esme felt fulfilled, without a doubt, by who she was and what she did.

A stirring from Edward's bedroom brought to the forefront of her mind the afternoon she had spent with him and Bella. Edward had insisted upon accompanying her to lunch with Bella. Esme didn't pass up an opportunity to spend time with Edward, but she wasn't delusional enough to believe that her presence had anything to do with his request. As of late, Edward couldn't seem to get enough of Bella Swan.

That notion both thrilled and concerned Esme. Over the course of lunch, Esme learned a lot about Bella, more from her observations than what Bella actually said. And she didn't say much. Verbally, Bella revealed what the entire town of Forks already knew: that she lived only with her father, the former Chief of the Forks police department. She also had no qualms about expressing her hobbies of reading and cooking, with an occasional dabble into photography.

However, it was the non-verbal disclosures that peaked Esme's concern. The most obvious fact, that Bella lived only with her father, meant that Bella lacked the daily influence of a mother figure in her life – and also the very watchful eyes of one. A girl could get away with a lot when she had a quasi-absent father who thought nothing of going away on a weekend fishing trip while leaving his young adult daughter home unattended.

But perhaps the most glaring red flag of all was how Bella and Edward interacted with one another. On the surface, any mother would be pleased to have such a well-mannered, docile girlfriend for their wild and directionless son. But Esme knew her son and she knew how long Bella had been in his life…but to watch the two of them together, one would guess that they'd been acquainted with one another for years instead of months. And of those months, it had been only mere days since their relationship took on less of a covert tone, and more of an obvious one.

What _was_ obvious, however, was that the two teens sitting before Esme had bypassed the awkward squeamishness of a new relationship and had plunged head first into a symbiotic symphony of oneness. The way they moved around one another with flawless grace; the way they looked at one another in silent communication, as if they possessed their own language; and their touches – soft fingertips brushing the back of a hand or the cusp of a shoulder; it was all sweet and sensual at the same time. Esme felt like an intruder.

It was for this very reason that Esme felt the need to wait up for her husband.

********

It had been a long day and exhausted didn't even begin to cover the way Carlisle felt as he made the short journey from the garage to the mudroom of the house. Esme must have heard him pull up, for she was in the mudroom waiting for him with a glass of iced tea. He could tell by the look on her face that she wanted something. Still, he humored her with small talk until she finally got around to letting him know what was really on her mind.

"I had lunch with Edward and Bella today," she began cryptically.

"Oh yeah? How'd that go?" Carlisle asked with genuine interest.

"It was good. Bella is a very sweet girl," Esme hedged.

"She is," Carlisle agreed. "And I can't pretend not to be relieved by the calming effect she's had on him. He hasn't hardly been in any trouble since she came on the scene."

"I know…and it has me slightly worried." Esme frowned.

"The fact that Edward _hasn't_ been in any trouble has you worried?" Carlisle laughed softly.

"No, not that," Esme corrected. "It's just the profound effect she's had on him in such a short period of time."

"Esme, honey, he's a teenaged boy. That's what happens when they meet teenaged girls. Trust me. I once was one."

Esme shook her head, adamant that it was more than that. "Carlisle, you didn't see them together. It was like…like their souls had met in a previous life and we're just now seeing the physical personification of it."

"I'm canceling your subscription to the Mysticism channel," Carlisle continued to poke fun.

"I'm being serious," Esme nearly stamped her foot. "I'm worried, Carlisle. Bella seems like such an innocent girl and Edward…well, we've talked to his caseworkers. We know how much…physical experience he has."

"This is about sex? You're worried about him having sex?"

"I'm worried about too much too soon. And Carlisle, if you had seen the way they interacted with each other this afternoon, you would be worried, too."

"Oh, Esme," Carlisle sighed. He put his arms around her in hopes to soften what he was about to say. "Sweetheart, Edward feels…inadequate. Bella makes him feel whole. And we have no idea if he fills a void of some sort for her, but if he does, then that is exactly how their relationship is going to seem to them – like they're each others life preservers. And since Edward has had sex before, _yes, _he probably will want to do the same with Bella. We can try all we want to, but we probably won't be able to prevent that."

"You need to have a talk with him, Carlisle. He needs to be responsible. His life is just barely on the right track. I'd hate to see him derail it by getting Bella pregnant."

"I'm pretty sure Edward knows all there is to know about sex. Hell, he could probably teach me a thing or two," Carlisle's laughter stopped abruptly when he saw the look his wife was giving him. "I'll talk to him."

********

Monday morning met Bella with both excitement and fear. It had seemed like she and Edward had experienced half a year's worth of events, yet here it was, only Monday – a mere three days since Edward had officially coined her as his girlfriend. Over the weekend, they had been in a bubble of happiness, in a game of love where they were the only two players. Now they were thrust into a world where others would take notice of them. Where it would not go undetected that things had changed between Bella and Edward. Bella welcomed the change. She worried that Edward would not.

Their last words to one another had been last night when Edward had called her to ask her if he'd left something at her house…headphones or something. Edward had never brought headphones to her house and Bella realized he felt that he needed a reason to call her, beyond the fact that she was his girlfriend.

They'd talked a bit and Edward made fun of the fact that he could already hear Bella's mood music station playing in the background. She'd laughed at him before asking if he'd like her to pick him up for school the next morning. He'd hesitated before saying no. And that was when Bella knew that it was possible that everything they'd achieved over the weekend would be undone once they set foot on the school grounds.

So Bella immediately felt catapulted back to square one as she marched to her locker and heaved her backpack into it. The semester was winding down and she had less of a need for it. Soon her schedule would change and she'd happily say goodbye to a few of her less favorite classes. Unfortunately, she'd have to trade her English Literature class in for an economics class…which meant she'd be trading in her class with Edward.

Bella trudged into her first class of the morning and took the first seat available. She busied herself doodling things on a blank strip of paper so as not to look available for conversation. If there was any class that Bella didn't want to appear available for conversation in, it was this one. Rosalie Hale was in this class and, to put it mildly, Bella didn't know which one of Rosalie's personalities would be in control of her today. It was hard to keep track of who Rosalie really was. One minute she was being a total bully, the next minute she was trying to be friendly and complimentary and the next minute she was fawning over Edward.

Perhaps it was that last one that bothered Bella the most. Edward made it seem like Rosalie was just a girl who couldn't get over a crush, but Rosalie acted like it was more than that. So badly Bella wanted to ask Edward about what she'd overheard Rosalie tell Alice in the restroom that day, but she was afraid. She was afraid that Edward would confirm her fears: that he _had_ done something with Rosalie – something Edward probably enjoyed. Something Bella didn't know how to do.

********

Alice sighed loudly as she entered the doorway of her history class. She absolutely hated when Rosalie wasn't at school. Especially in classes that she didn't have any other friends in. And of course Alice was late because Jasper had insisted upon stopping at the convenience store first for a package of powder donuts. There were only two empty seats in the class – one on the front row directly in front of the teacher's desk, and one in the middle of the class. There was no way Alice could finish the note she was writing to Jasper if she sat in the front row, so she headed for the middle desk, her backpack smacking unsuspecting peers in the process.

Out of the corner of her eye, Alice noticed Bella directly on her left. Alice decided not to make eye contact. She didn't feel like making nice. It was too early in the morning and she wasn't in a good mood. Besides, Bella made Alice nervous. Nobody had ever made Alice nervous…well, unless you count Mac Arthur in the third grade. But he was an overgrown oaf with two first names – anybody would be nervous.

Before the class got underway, the phone rang and Mrs. Kenner stepped over to answer it. As soon as she did so, a girl Alice recognized as Lauren Mallory stepped over to Bella and dropped a note on her desk.

"It's from Tyler. He told me to give it to you," Lauren stated.

"No," Bella held the note back out to Lauren before she could depart.

"No?" Lauren looked as if she didn't understand English.

"Yeah, no. I don't want any notes from Tyler Crowley. You can tell him I said so," Bella stated.

Lauren frowned. "Tell him yourself." She began to walk away.

Bella knocked the note on the floor and it slid a few paces in front of where Lauren stood. "I hope he's not too upset if it gets in the wrong hands." She said with a shrug.

Lauren rolled her eyes and sighed loudly before bending over and picking up the note. She tossed it in the garbage can on her way back to her desk.

"Good one," Alice whispered to Bella.

Bella smiled to herself and made fleeting eye contact with Alice. "He can't seem to take a hint," she said.

"Well, I'm sure Lauren will pass along the message…embellished though it will be." Alice whispered.

"Fine by me." Bella shrugged.

She was unpretentious, Bella was. Alice felt a little bit uneasy about how at ease she felt around the girl. _I'm so glad Rosalie isn't here right now._

********

Without really needing to, Bella trudged to her locker after her first class. She had more than enough time to spare and the last thing she wanted to do was sit in an empty classroom waiting for monotony. At least that is what her conscious mind told her. Subconsciously, she had to give Edward an opportunity to find her.

And find her he did.

With the essence of James Dean in a movie from a far away time, Edward leaned against Bella's locker. All that was missing was a cigarette.

"Hey," he offered her a slow smile.

"Hi," Bella tried to hide her excitement as she failed to make obtaining her backpack from her locker look casual. Once in her possession, Bella slung it over her right shoulder and put one foot in front of the other, guiding Edward to follow her.

They fell into step beside one another on the way to the only class they shared. Bella's left hand dangled listlessly at her side as she walked. She pretended not to notice Edward's right hand in much the same position. She made no move towards it and they walked in silence.

Suddenly the minuscule hairs on the back of her palm stood to attention as Edward's hand slowly neared hers. Without looking, he slid his hand over hers and Bella embraced the gesture, clasping his hand tightly. She stole a glance at him – his eyes were forward, on where they were going, but he wore a smug smile on his face, as if he were Quasimodo holding the hand of Cleopatra.

********

Edward was pleasantly surprised that the whole girlfriend/boyfriend thing wasn't as unpleasant as he'd previously thought. There were no anti-couple regimes waiting to tar and feather him for his change in attitude, no mockers, no hecklers…just curious on-lookers and covetous stares. And if Edward was being honest, he kind of liked the envy rolling off Tyler Crowley and Mike Newton.

Still riding high on Bella's touch, Edward led her towards the table in the quad that he often occupied with his friends. He noticed Rosalie's absence and decided it was only a plus.

Edward sat and slid down, making a spot for Bella. He casually reached up and removed a piece of a fallen leaf from her hair before settling his arm around her waist. He acted like it was the most normal thing in the world to parade Bella in front of his friends, instead of it being the very first time for anything of its caliber.

"So, party this Friday. You in?" Jasper rushed to fill the awkward silence.

Edward looked over at Bella, as if checking with her. Alice noticed the exchange and assaulted Bella with her eyes.

"You said you'd come," Alice told her.

"Said she'd come where?"

Everyone at the table turned to see Rosalie's approach. Edward noticed Bella's body stiffen underneath his arm and Alice's expression became flighty.

"Where have you been?" Alice didn't bother answering Rosalie's question. "Aren't I supposed to get some kind of warning when you're not going to be here?"

"Looks like I'm the one who needs a warning," Rosalie looked pointedly at Bella before turning towards Alice. "And I overslept."

Edward trained his eyes on Rosalie, daring her to impart the visual venom that she seemed to be working on the girls. She never met his eyes, but he noticed her caustic glances at his arm draped around Bella. Oh well. He had nothing to hide.

"I have to go find Jessica," Rosalie began to walk away. "You coming?" She asked Alice over her shoulder.

Alice seemed to communicate a silent message to Jasper before she picked up her bag and followed after her friend.

********

Rosalie's existence was really beginning to bother Bella. It was one thing to get a bad vibe about someone, to not like their attitude or they way they spoke or carried themselves, but Rosalie hadn't witnessed enough of anything about Bella to size her up in the manner that she had. It was obvious that it had something to do with Edward. There were feelings there…a history, perhaps. But Edward wouldn't answer a direct question about it, which alerted Bella to the fact that something _had_ happened between them, and the fact that he wouldn't tell her exactly what that was bothered Bella more than she was actually ready to admit to herself.

It wasn't until Wednesday after school, when they were at Edward's home that the subject came up again, in an indirect way.

Pretending to do homework, Bella and Edward sat on his bed with her books spread out between them. Bella pulled the scrunchie from her hair, releasing her ponytail and letting her long locks rest freely about her shoulders.

"I like your hair down," Edward commented.

Bella didn't know if she should say 'thank you' or take his words as a statement instead of a compliment. She did neither.

"It gives me a headache if I keep it in a ponytail too long." She said instead. "I have a lot of hair."

"You do have a lot of hair," Edward said in a gravely tone which made Bella look up at him. When she did so, she caught the devious look in his eye. "You have a lot of hair _down there_, too." He pointed between her legs.

"What?" Bella instantly crossed her legs as if she'd been naked. "What's that supposed to mean?" The pitch of her voice rose and her movements became disjointed as she stacked and restacked meaningless papers.

"Nothing," Edward shrugged, amused by the effect his words had on her. "I'm just saying that you have a lot of hair."

"So!" Bella's voice was sharp. She lowered it with her next question. "Is that bad?"

"No. It's not bad. It's just…different."

"Different from whom?"

Now it was Edward's turn to get uncomfortable at Bella's words. "I'm not talking about anyone in particular," he hedged.

"Then how do you know it's different?" Bella cornered him verbally.

"Nothing…forget it," Edward said, realizing that Bella was getting upset but not understanding why.

"Is it because I'm not like Rosalie?" Bella hinted at the subject that had been bothering her since that fateful day in the girls' bathroom.

"Bella, this has nothing to do with Rosalie." Edward said.

"What happened between you two?"

"Nothing."

"You're lying."

"Fine. I'm lying."

"Are you?"

"You just told me I was."

"Edward, why won't you just answer the question?"

"Because it's none of your business."

"It's none of my business? But I'm your…girlfriend." Bella whispered the last word, afraid that Edward would take it away from her.

"That doesn't give you the right to judge me for what happened before I even knew you." Edward responded defensively.

"I'm not judging you. I just want to know." Bella kept her eyes on the bedspread.

"Why? What difference is it going to make?"

"It's not going to make a difference."

"Then fuckin' drop it."

Edward's expletive stung Bella and before she could stop it, her eyes filled with tears. She wiped at them quickly, instantly angry with herself and the situation for overreacting.

"I have to go," she quickly began stuffing her backpack.

"What the hell," Edward seemed at a loss. "Are you fuckin' _crying?_ Because I won't tell you some shit that doesn't even matter?"

Bella wanted to tell him to stop cussing at her, but she knew if she opened her mouth, the only sound that would escape would be a sob.

She ran out of his room and out to her truck as fast as her feet would carry her.

********

Edward paced around his room trying to absolve himself of the guilt he felt at Bella's outburst. Though he didn't understand her insatiable desire to know of his past exploits, he did feel responsible for her tears. He hated himself for making her cry. Why didn't he just tell her what she wanted? Why didn't he just make something up?

Who was this Edward that didn't want to be dishonest?

He had been wrong before. This girlfriend/boyfriend shit _was_ hard. In frustration, Edward swiped his hand across his desk, landing everything that had been housed there on the floor. With a loud sign of anguish, Edward hurried down the stairs and out of his front door, thinking he wouldn't be too late to catch Bella.

He was.

********

Esme pretended not to hear the frustration of her son being taken out on inanimate objects in his room. She sat at the dining room table and allowed Maddie to help her stuff goodie bags for Maddie's upcoming birthday party.

"Daddy!" Maddie ran up to meet Carlisle when he walked into the house.

"Hello, princess," Carlisle greeted Maddie with a kiss before bestowing one upon his wife.

As soon as Esme's eyes met his, they heard a loud thud coming from overhead.

"I'm afraid to ask how you day went," Carlisle said, his eyes staring above him.

"It was fine up until a couple hours ago. Bella appeared very upset when she left and he's been like that ever since." Esme explained.

"He had a fight with Bella?" Carlisle mused. "Already?"

Esme shrugged. "I haven't talked to him. I figured it was a time when a boy needed his father."

Carlisle had been putting off the talk he knew he needed to have with Edward, and now it looked like he may be late dispersing wisdom Edward could have used.

*********

After a shower and a quick bite to eat, Carlisle climbed the stairs towards Edward's room. A quick rap on the door was met with silence.

"Edward?" Carlisle asked firmly.

"What?" Edward's brusque voice came through the thick wooden door.

"Can I come in?" Carlisle invited.

"What for?" Edward returned.

"I'd like to have a word with you."

"I didn't do anything."

"I didn't say you did."

"I don't want to talk about Bella."

"We don't have to."

It took Edward two and a half minutes to find his way to Carlisle at his door.

"What?" Edward asked once he'd finally opened it.

Carlisle peered into Edward's room and almost laughed at what he saw. Most everything was still in order, save for a heap of turmoil near Edward's desk and what seemed to be a few drawers worth of clothes strewn about. For all the noise Edward had been making, Carlisle had expected things to be completely obliterated. Carlisle stared at Edward long and hard, already tired of his attitude. But something in Edward's eyes touched Carlisle and he felt a sense of empathy for something yet unknown.

"It was a minor argument, then?" Carlisle's eyes were laughing, but he was not.

"It wasn't even an argument!" Edward raised his voice, already forgetting his rule about not talking about Bella.

"Oh…well that's good then. Minor misunderstandings are unavoidable in the beginning of any relationship." Carlisle continued to look around before his eyes landed on Edward's. "Want to take a ride?"

"I thought I wasn't allowed to go out on a school night," Edward quipped.

"It's all right. I know the warden," Carlisle motioned to the door and followed after Edward when he'd finally walked through it.

"Where are we going?" Edward asked with a forced disinterest as Carlisle maneuvered his BMW through the streets of Forks.

"I want to show you something." Carlisle said mysteriously.

"What?" Edward pressed.

"Well if I could tell you, I wouldn't need to show you, would I?"

Edward seemed irritated by Carlisle's enigmatic behavior, but he quieted down for the remainder of the ride.

Carlisle didn't make another sound until he pulled into a neighborhood a few blocks away. He slowed to a stop in front of a house that Edward didn't recognize and pointed in the direction of a covered carport.

"What do you think?" he finally asked.

"Of what?" Edward squinted into the fading light, as day became night.

"That beauty."

Carlisle looked dreamily at a shiny, gray 1973 Nova that sat slightly revealed under the waning light.

"The car?" Edward asked. "For you?"

"For you," Carlisle looked over at Edward. "When Esme was doing laundry a couple days ago, she pulled your temporary permit out of your pants pocket."

"Oh…yeah." Edward said as if he'd forgotten. "I passed the test."

"Why the secret?" Carlisle asked. "That's a big deal, Edward."

"A big deal for me, you mean."

"It's a big deal in every guys life. You're on your way to a driver's license. That's a rite of passage like none other." Carlisle said excitedly.

Edward rolled his eyes at the excitement, but Carlisle saw the pride dwelling underneath.

"You don't have to be so secretive, Edward," Carlisle continued. "No one wants to see you succeed as much as your mother and I. Let us be there for you."

Edward shifted uncomfortably under the emotion the words held. He played with the latch on the door as he eyed the car across from him. "Can we get out and look at it?"

"You bet," Carlisle was out of the car before Edward was.

They kept their voices low so as not to disturb the owners of the home, since they had come unannounced.

"This is fu- freakin' awesome," Edward finally let on how he felt about the car.

"Aw man, you aren't lying," Carlisle let out his inner teenager. "This was the car I wanted so badly when I was your age."

"It's sweet," Edward agreed as he ran his hands over the hood. "I hope an alarm doesn't go off."

"I doubt it." Carlisle glanced at the front of the house.

"How much does something like this cost?"

"A reasonable amount, I'm sure." Carlisle's double speak had returned.

"Man, I'd have to save up for like…years," Edward said in a low whisper.

"I told you I'd buy your first car," Carlisle's eyes twinkled.

The enormity of the situation finally came into view for Edward and he looked between Carlisle and the car.

"Did you already buy this?" Edward pointed at the car.

Carlisle smiled.

"Are you shittin' me?" Edward stared incredulously. "_This_ car?"

"Unless you don't like it."

"Who wouldn't like this car?"

"Someone who doesn't deserve to be on the road." Carlisle was encouraged by Edward's enthusiasm.

"Oh…man!" Edward exclaimed. It was the first time Carlisle had been allowed to see Edward truly happy. There was one other time, a few weeks back, when Carlisle had witnessed Edward's joy, though he wasn't an invited spectator into the emotion, nor did he know its cause.

"Now you can practice driving in your own car. By the time you take the driving test, you'll know it like the back of your hand." Carlisle explained.

"Wow. Thanks…Carlisle," Edward stammered, as if he wanted to call Carlisle by a different name.

"You're welcome, Son." Carlisle put his hand on Edward's shoulder and steered him back towards the BMW. "It'll be delivered to the house tomorrow. You can spend all the time you want fawning over it then. But as for now, it _is _a school night…"

********

Edward's excitement began to diminish as he realized one less person he could share his newfound joy with. The car grew silent under his melancholy until Carlisle spoke to berate himself for taking a wrong turn.

Edward looked up then, to access how long it would be until they made it home. They were on a familiar street. He turned and looked at Carlisle frantically.

"What's going on?" he demanded.

"Just a small detour. We'll be home in a minute." Carlisle kept his eyes on the road.

Edward fidgeted unnecessarily as the car neared the last place on earth he wanted anyone else to know he yearned to be.

When Carlisle's car neared Bella's house, he didn't stop, but he did slow to a cautionary speed.

"It's a little early for lights out," Carlisle muttered aloud. "Makes for a long night."

Edward simply looked over at him before returning his sights to the house that was growing smaller through the side view mirror.

"Did you call her?" Carlisle asked.

"No," the indignation returning to Edward's voice. "She walked out on me."

"All the more reason, Son. All the more reason…"

Edward was quiet for so long that Carlisle figured their bonding moment had passed and their time together had ended. He maneuvered his car into the garage and turned off the ignition. Edward's stillness caught his attention and when he turned to look at him, Edward spoke.

"Did you tell Mom everything you've ever done with other women?" Edward asked.

"No," Carlisle answered, as if it was an absurd question.

"Has she ever asked?"

"Are you kidding? No woman wants to know that."

"Bella does."

"She asked you? She asked you to tell her everything you've ever done with other girls?"

"Well, not like that." Edward clarified. "She asked about one girl. She _keeps_ asking about it."

"And you won't tell her?"

"I shouldn't have to."

"Edward, I'll tell you something my dad told me when I was fourteen years old: you can always be right but you'll always be lonely."

"So that means I have to do stuff that doesn't make any sense?"

"It means that if you want to keep the girl, it's not always about being right. Sometimes you'll do things just for her and sometimes she'll do things, just for you."

Edward pondered Carlisle's words for a moment, but he still didn't like the idea of talking to Bella about Rosalie.

He looked at the clock in the dashboard; it was after nine o'clock.

"I need you to do something for me, Edward," Carlisle said suddenly.

_Oh here it comes. I knew there were strings attached to that car._

"What?"

"Your mother thinks I talked to your about sex and being responsible, so do you know how to use a condom?"

"Yeah." Edward laughed.

"And you know where to get condoms?"

"Yeah."

"And you know to always use condoms, no matter what?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. Good talk." Carlisle patted Edward on the knee before exiting the vehicle. Edward hustled up to his bedroom for the beginning of his long night.

********

Bella was glad to be alone in the darkness where she could try to assess the events of the day without the scrutinizing gaze of her father.

Charlie had been after her all evening to tell him what was bothering her. She kept telling him that she was fine, but he insisted that she wasn't acting like herself. He wanted to know what she was keeping from him – sure that he could help her in some way. It was infuriating to Bella that he was so relentless. Probably because he should be able to take the hint that she didn't want to talk about it. Probably because he shouldn't presume to have the answer to all of her problems. Or probably because Bella knew that she was being just like him in her insistence that Edward tell her everything that happened between he and Rosalie.

Bella lay in her bed listening to Rod Stewart croon out 'Forever Young' on KXXO 96.1 FM – the permanent residence of her radio dial. It made her hopeful for the future. But when Hootie and the Blowfish began to tell her how they 'Only Wanna Be With You', her tears began to flow freely and she wondered aloud what she'd done.

It had been an unbearable evening the minute she'd walked out of the Cullen home shortly after four o'clock. As Bella had jogged to her car, she'd criticized herself for the girlie desire of wanting Edward to run after her. Denying herself to have that desire realized, she moved at lightening speed, starting her truck and taking off before even taking the time to buckle her seatbelt.

Anger had held Bella willful and devout in her refusal to communicate with Edward. But now, under the cloak of darkness and the lyrics that so defined how she felt about her man, that anger was dissipating into despair. She drew her knees up to her chest and shuddered into her solitude.

"I'm sorry," Bella whispered to no one.

It was after nine o'clock before Bella had the overwhelming urge to call Edward. It was risky. What if his parents heard and she got him in trouble? What if he didn't answer? What if he did answer? What if he hung up?

By the time U2 was serenading her with 'With or Without You', reminding her that in a relationship you "give yourself away", Bella had dialed half of Edward's telephone number. She would have dialed the rest if her telephone hadn't started ringing on its own.

"I'm sorry," Bella said instead of hello.

*********

Edward was silent for a split second, taken aback by Bella's instant apology. He hadn't been expecting it.

"For what?" he asked.

"For starting this crap in the first place. I shouldn't have walked out." Bella said.

"Why did you?" Edward's voice was low and steady.

"Because…I didn't want you to see me cry." Bella admitted. Her voice was shaky by comparison.

Edward was frustrated at the ignorance her admission made him feel. Why would something like that make a person cry?

"Why would something like that make you cry?" he wondered out loud.

"Well, first of all, I hate it when you swear at me," Bella said.

"I always swear."

"But not _at_ me. Only when we fight. And I hate fighting with you."

Edward could hear that she was on the verge of tears then, so he quickly said something to distract her.

"Is there a second of all?"

"I don't like it that you keep stuff from me."

"I'm not keeping stuff from you!" Edward paused to get control of his voice. "I just…I don't think it's…It's not good for you to know."

"Why?"

"Because if I tell you, then I'm giving Rosalie exactly what she wants. And I'm not going to do that."

"What does she want?"

"She wants you to think that I felt the same way about her that I feel about you when I …" Edward remembered what Carlisle had said in the garage and cringed through his next words. "I went to a party one night and got wasted. Rosalie followed me up the stairs and I vaguely remember kissing her and then she went down on me and then I passed out. Everytime she tells the story, it gets a little more exaggerated, but that's basically what happened. And before you ask, yes, I'm sure I didn't have sex with her. Passed out guys usually can't get vertical."

"That's it? Just that one time?"

"More or less."

"More or less? She definitely acts like there's more."

"That's her problem."

"I just…

"Bella, I'm with you, not Rosalie."

"Why is that?"

"Are you fuc- freakin' serious?"

"She's pretty."

"She's okay. But she's no Bella Swan. She's not who I want."

Edward could almost feel his face warm by Bella's blush on the other side of the phone. She giggled and Edward felt himself relax for the first time since she'd walked out on him.

"Can we stop talking about girls that don't matter now?" Edward asked.

"Yeah," Bella laughed quietly.

"We're gonna be so tired tomorrow." Edward said.

"Do you wanna go?" Bella asked.

"No."

"Me either."

"My dad bought me a car today."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah. It's so fuc- awesome."

"I can't wait to see it."

"Come over tomorrow. It should be here."

"Okay."

"Then we can…uh…go to that party, if you want."

"I want."

"Cool."

Edward could have talked to Bella all night and he planned to, but he heard a soft knock before Carlisle stuck his head into his bedroom. Edward immediately hid his phone under his pillow.

"It's late," Carlisle whispered.

"I know," Edward answered.

"Okay, well tell Bella goodnight," Carlisle revealed that he knew what Edward was up to and that he had momentarily allowed it.

Instead of answer Carlisle, Edward put his phone back up to his ear. "I have to go," he said.

"Okay."

"Goodnight, beautiful," he whispered once Carlisle had shut his door.

"Goodnight," Bella giggled. "Oh, do you want me to pick you up for school tomorrow?"

"Yeah… I can't wait to see you."

"Me too."

The end of the conversation felt unfinished in some way…like it needed something to solidify the feeling of the moment. But Edward couldn't bring himself to think it, let alone say it. All he knew was that it had been a long time since something had scared him like Bella had when she'd walked out on him earlier. He'd do whatever it took to keep that from happening again.


	18. Chapter 18

**The Tutor**

**Chapter 18 – Party Pleaser**

The problem with teaching someone how to kiss is that when they become proficient at it, and are no longer considered a student of the art, then you're left with someone who kisses you with a perfection that you didn't even know existed.

As Edward and Bella sat in her truck in his driveway on Friday morning before school, kissing away their dispute from the previous day, Edward felt himself quickly loosing control.

"Is anyone home at your house?" he asked breathlessly.

"We can't," Bella returned, even though Charlie had left in the wee hours of the morning for a fishing trip.

"Sure we can. I don't even have a class first period."

"Yeah, but I do. History. And if Charlie finds out I skipped, I'll be missing two parties this weekend."

"Two?"

"Maddie's birthday is tomorrow."

"Ah, shit. I forgot all about that."

"So I take it you didn't buy her a present." At his lack of response, Bella added, "I guess I know where we're going after school today."

Edward pounded his head on the back window. "Don't say Port Angeles."

"There's a toy store in Forks. The Sandbox."

"Cool because my car comes home today and I don't want to spend all day on the road." Edward explained. Then his eyes washed over Bella's body. He took note of the denim skirt she wore, and how it accentuated the bright hue of her legs. "And I want to spend some time hanging out."

Bella knew exactly what he meant and she was glad she wasn't the only one that felt that way. Ever since their day in the meadow, she could scarcely think of anything else but being with him again. Her loins were burning with desire and inexperience and she was too afraid of how far she'd go to agree to be alone with him right then.

********

Alice's spirits were soaring high, as she was excited about the party that she and Jasper were having that evening. Even Rosalie's bitter attitude wasn't enough to bring her down.

"I might not even come to the party," Rosalie said as she stared out into the distance. "I don't think I'll have any fun."

"Why not?" Alice said, trying not to deeply engage her.

"Because. You're going to be with Jasper and Edward's going to be with that cunt muscle. It won't be like old times, when it was just the four of us."

"Well, it wouldn't be a party if it was just the four of us, silly," Alice rolled her eyes. "And what happened to you trying to be Bella's friend?"

"The sight of her makes me want to puke. I can't fake it." Rosalie said. "Though you don't seem to be having any problem."

Jessica was sitting next to Rosalie quietly listening. "Bring someone to the party." She suggested. "You're a beautiful girl. I'm sure there are a million guys who would love to hang out with you for the night."

"For the night?" Rosalie spat out. "So now I'm some whore that's only good for the night?"

"You know that's not what I meant," Jessica said quickly.

"Fuck you guys," Rosalie got up quickly and left their presence.

Jessica shook her head as she watched Rosalie depart. "Man, she has been really bitchy lately."

"It's because you've been filling her head with all this bullshit about how Edward likes her and how she has a chance with him." Alice narrowed her eyes at Jessica. She never approved of the false hope Jessica dispensed to Rosalie.

"Well I think he does like her. Anyone can see that-"

"How well do you know Edward?" Alice interrupted.

"A little." Jessica nodded. "I mean, it's not like I've had any deep conversations with him-"

"Exactly," Alice cut her off. "I think I know him better than you. And I can tell you with pretty good assurance that he has never liked Rosalie and he probably never will. And though I don't quite understand his draw to Bella either, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that she's what he's into right now."

"You'd better be careful, little girl," Jessica's voice grew hard and threatening. "If Rosalie heard you say something like that, she might question where your loyalties lie."

Alice laughed. "You've been watching too much Jerry Springer if you think I'm going to fight my best friend over some guy and his girlfriend."

Alice's smile faded as she walked away from Jessica, towards Jasper. It also didn't take a rocket scientist to see that if Rosalie didn't get over her obsession with Edward soon, there was no way that any activity that called them all together could end without serious ramifications.

********

Rosalie couldn't shake the feelings of alienation and sadness that ached the very hallows of her heart. Ever since she'd seen Edward with his arm around Bella, the reality of their status descended upon her harder than Wylie Coyote's anvil. She hated how badly she hurt and how no one seemed to understand her pain.

Alice had forgotten how she herself had longed for Jasper when he was no longer available. And Jessica had caught a grand case of amnesia when it came to the obsession she had with Mike Newton after he'd pulled a fuck and duck on her ass two years ago.

Now that it was Rosalie's turn to mourn the hurt of an unreciprocated love, suddenly it was supposed to be as easy as simply being told to just get over it. No one seemed to care how Edward and Bella were flaunting themselves in front of her: holding hands, kissing and just about groping one another in public.

She shook her head in disgust at the idea of them being together. The mere thought of them caused envy to simmer, rage to boil and contempt to erupt…and in that moment, an idea was born.

********

It looked even better in the daylight. When Bella pulled to a stop in front of the Cullen home that afternoon, Edward hopped out of the cab and walked with a worshipful gait over to where Carlisle had parked his new car.

"Edward, this is the coolest car I have ever seen," Bella said as she walked up behind him.

Carlisle came out of the house at that moment with a shiny set of keys. "Wanna go for a spin?"

Edward looked at Bella and she nodded. "I'm going to take Maddie's present in the house. Do you know if your mom has wrapping paper?" she asked.

"Come with us," Edward said, not wanting to have this moment apart from Bella.

"Are you sure?" Bella asked. She looked at Carlisle, wondering if it was an intrusion between father and son.

"Yeah. Maybe you'll learn a thing or two and pass your test next time," Edward said playfully as he opened the door for her to slide into the backseat. Bella lightly pinched him before kissing him on the cheek and climbing in back.

"Oh good, it's an automatic," Edward said as he inspected the gear shift.

"Biggest mistake I ever made was taking my driver's test on a manual," Carlisle offered. "I was so nervous, I kept killing the car."

In a manner of seconds, both Bella and Carlisle realized that Edward was no novice behind the wheel of a car. He drove with skill and smoothness, but lacked the technical knowledge a driving instructor would be looking for.

"Okay, smarty pants," Carlisle began. "You've just had not one, but two automatic fails."

"How do you figure?" Edward protested.

"You didn't use the suicide lane, otherwise known as the left turn lane, and you didn't yield on the green arrow. Turning traffic had the right of way." Carlisle instructed.

"And you didn't adjust your mirrors before you pulled out. Even I knew that," Bella chided him from the backseat. Her light teasing played well into the moment and he winked at her through the rearview mirror.

By the time they made it back to the Cullen house, it was time for Bella to head home and make dinner. She considered inviting Edward, but figured he'd rather stay home and spend some time with his new 'toy'. She'd hate to make him feel torn about who he'd rather be with, especially since she would be seeing him later at the party.

"Pick me up at eight," Edward said as he walked towards Bella.

She nodded before tilting her face towards his for a kiss.

"Oh," he began, "and wear a skirt."

"Why?" Bella asked with coquettish charm.

"Because now that I've seen you in one, I can't imagine you in anything else."

********

After frying the smelly fish Charlie had brought home from his day on the lake, Bella immersed herself in a hot bath to wash off the aroma of dinner and the tension of the day. She dressed slowly after slathering her body with a soothing coconut aloe and sat down on her bed to wait until it was time to pick up Edward.

In the quiet calm of her bedroom, Bella allowed her mind to wander to the place she hadn't allowed it to meander all day.

_What was going to happen at this party tonight? How would Edward act? Would he drink? Would he get drunk? Would he expect her to? Would he want to have sex? Would she do it if he wanted to?_

Loosing her virginity in a strange bed at a house that had no connection to either of them was not how Bella envisioned her first time. And certainly not at a loud party where their privacy was threatened at every turn.

But Edward and his magic hands…how Bella wanted to feel those hands again. And speaking of feel…She wanted to feel him…see him…see _it. _He hadn't pushed, but she knew that he had to be thinking about it, too. They had been flirting heavily all day and even if he wasn't vocal about it, she knew he was hopeful of an encounter.

Bella was so deep in thought about what the night would hold for her, that she was late in picking up Edward. He was on the porch when she pulled up in front of his house.

"I can't wait until I can pick you up," he said as he jumped into the truck before Bella had a chance to get out. He looked at her attire and smiled when he saw that she was once again wearing a skirt. "Nice."

Bella rubbed her hands over her neck to lessen the burn. "What time do you have to be home?"

"Probably after you do," Edward shrugged.

The truck idled, but Bella had yet to pull away from the curb. She watched Edward fumble with the radio. She didn't realize how odd her motionlessness was until Edward commented on it.

"Are we going or staying?" he asked.

"Edward," Bella said his name slowly, "are you drinking tonight?"

"I might have one or two. Why?"

"Well…I don't really know anyone and I don't want you to get wasted and leave me alone."

"I'm not gonna get drunk."

"Promise?"

"Yeah, I promise," Edward stated in a tone that revealed that he thought an oath was unnecessary.

"And you won't leave me alone, right?" Bella asked.

"Hey," Edward said lightly as he leaned over and kissed Bella on the mouth. "You need to relax. Why are you so uptight?"

"I don't know. I just…have a bad feeling about tonight." Bella admitted.

"Bella, I'm going to see to it that you have a _great_ time tonight," Edward wiggled his eyebrows at Bella.

Her stomach traded places with her heart as she finally kicked her truck into gear and headed towards the unknown.

********

"Let's get this party started! Whooohooo!" Rosalie yelled as she let herself into Jasper's two-story home.

Alice and Jasper stepped out of his kitchen with trepidation.

"Rose?" Alice asked.

"Yeah. I came early to see if you fuckers needed any help." Rosalie said as she walked over to the counter and helped herself to a pear from the fruit basket.

Jasper made a face behind Rosalie's back and exited towards the living room.

"I thought you said you weren't coming," Alice said quietly.

"Why? You don't want me here or something?" Rosalie asked quickly.

"No! I'm glad you're here," Alice said quickly. "Have you been smoking something besides cigarettes?"

Rosalie laughed. "Nope. Just having a good day."

Alice relaxed at her friend's words. "Good. Because earlier today it did not seem like you were having a good day."

"I'm good, I'm good," Rosalie insisted. "Now, what do you want me to do?"

"Can you rinse out those tubs over there? We're gonna put beer in there and they're kinda gross. They've been in the garage."

Rosalie held up one newly manicured had. "I just got my nails done. I don't want to put my hands in any water. What do you think? It's called Passion Purple. I think it's my new favorite color."

Emmett walked into the kitchen before Alice could respond and helped himself to a handful of peanuts that were on the butcher block.

"Hey! Get out of here!" Alice yelled at him. "Jasper!"

"What the hell are you calling him for?" Emmett laughed at the small, yet angry, girl before him. "What's he going to do? Tickle me out of here?"

"You said you would leave us alone in exchange for us cleaning up after your party tomorrow." Alice reminded him.

"What I _said_ was that I wouldn't invite any of my friends." Emmett helped himself to more nuts. "And don't think that you're getting off easy tomorrow. You're gonna clean up all the puke and shit my friends leave in the bathroom."

"Ew. That's gross," Rosalie crinkled her nose.

Emmett looked over at Rose, but turned his attention back to Alice by the time he spoke. "How many people you plan on having over here tonight, anyway?"

Alice shrugged. "We just left it open to word of mouth."

"So what you're saying is, it's going to be you three and Edward with his flavor of the week, some lame music and crappy beer?" Emmett chewed with his mouth open.

"This party was all everyone was talking about today," Jasper said upon re-entering the kitchen. He paused to give Alice a kiss before going back into the living room to lock up valuables and his parents' liquor. Emmett gave Rosalie one more glance before he exited the kitchen.

"Hey," Emmett said in a soft voice as he came up behind his brother. "Who's that girl in the kitchen with the crazy eyes?"

"I've got two words for you, Em: Jail. Bait." Jasper looked over his shoulder.

"Jailbait is one word, asshole," Emmett bellowed as he walked outside and disappeared in the garage.

Alice flittered around the house helping Jasper lock up electronics and doors to forbidden rooms. She went looking for Rosalie to get her help with an ice bucket.

"Oh, there you are," Alice said when she found Rosalie in the upstairs bathroom, toying with a small pink camera.

"What?" Rosalie seemed out of sorts.

"I was looking for you. Can you help me with the tub for the ice?" Alice asked.

"Oh…yeah," Rosalie fumbled with her shirt before following Alice down the hall.

********

By the time Bella and Edward arrived at Jasper's house, there were few places left for her to park. She found a spot around the corner and sat patiently as Edward surveyed his surroundings.

"Man, I hate more than half of these people," he muttered.

"I've never even seen more than half of these people," Bella added.

"Doesn't matter," Edward shrugged as he slid closer to Bella. "It's you and me tonight. None of those other assholes matter."

Edward leaned over and kissed Bella and it didn't take long before his lingering kisses turned passionate.

Bella was acutely aware of how Edward's hand rubbed circles on her bare thigh as they kissed. With each pass, he inched further and further up her skirt, as if he was testing her reaction. When she gave no indication that he'd reached a forbidden zone, Edward reached up and cupped her buttock before moving his hand to the front of her underwear and dipping two fingers into the sheer fabric. As his fingers washed over her flesh, he stopped abruptly and sat up in shock. Bella's eyes were on his, weighing his reaction.

"You shaved your _cooter_?" He asked in lustful awe. He raked his teeth over his bottom lip before adding, "that is so fuckin' hot."

Bella held back a giggle. His reaction pleased her, as she was worried that he'd find the gesture to be too much or not to his liking. However, to the contrary, even inexperienced Bella could see that Edward was so turned on he was almost levitating.

The foot traffic between Jasper's house and the side street Bella was parked on began to increase and Edward and Bella withdrew from the exposure.

"I can't wait to be alone with you," Edward said between receding kisses. "Come on, let's go in."

Bella got out of the truck quickly and met up with Edward on the sidewalk, leaning into him as if her life depended on it.

********

The party was in full swing as Alice stood in the doorway, watching two girls she never in a million years would have invited, do body shots off one another.

"Do you think they're really wasted?" Alice asked Rosalie who stood at her side.

"Nah, they're faking it. Amateurs." Rosalie muttered.

Alice laughed. She felt relieved to have Rosalie acting normal and not talking about Edward. For a short while it seemed like Rosalie had entered into a deep depression and Alice was starting not to know how to act around her anymore. "Take our picture. I need a new one for my phone." Alice stated.

Rosalie seemed happy as she looked over at Alice. "Okay, where's your phone?"

"I left it upstairs. Just take it with your camera and send it to me."

"I don't have a camera."

"Oh. What happened to your camera from earlier?"

"I never had a camera," Rosalie insisted.

"Oh…" Alice's gaze lingered on her friend for a moment before she shrugged and went back to making fun of the two girls who were now laughing like hyenas. She and Rosalie shared an eye roll before they started laughing, too.

********

Jasper happened to be standing near the front door when Edward and Bella entered. The joy of finally seeing a face he recognized could not be hidden on Jasper's face.

"Man, tell me again why I did this?" Jasper yelled loud enough for Edward to hear him.

"Because you're pussy whipped?" Edward guessed. "Who are these people?"

"I saw someone with a Castle Rock jersey on. Half these people don't even go to Forks." Jasper said. "Oh well. Emmett's in the garage if it gets out of hand."

Jasper grinned at Edward as his eyes darted over to Bella. "Hey, Bella," Jasper said her name in a sing-song tone. "Glad you could make it."

Bella nodded and offered a slight wave. She looked over at Edward and he was giving Jasper a warning glance. He tried to look menacing, but Jasper merely laughed at him. Alice ran up to them in that moment with an emergency: someone had broken the tap on the keg.

"Where's Rosalie? She can fix stuff like that no problem." Jasper asked.

"I don't know. She took off somewhere and I can't find her." Alice explained. "Some guy was beating the keg with a hammer when I came in here."

Jasper looked at Edward. Edward dropped Bella's hand, told her he'd be right back, and disappeared into the crowd, leaving Bella amidst a sea of people with Alice at her side.

********

Alice was uncomfortable. Rosalie was nowhere to be found and Edward and Jasper had left her alone with Bella. There seemed to be an unspoken instruction that Bella wasn't to be left alone. So there Alice stood…awkwardly.

"What the…"

Alice looked over to see what Bella was murmuring about. Following her field of vision, Alice saw that Bella was watching two guys dancing in the middle of the living room. At least Alice was sure _they _thought they were dancing. Alice wasn't sure whatit was.

"Are they like…break dancing?" Alice squinted.

Bella nodded. "And what's worse, I think they think they look good."

Suddenly one of the guys did a pop and lock move and pointed to his opponent, as if to challenge him. Alice and Bella looked at each other and immediately burst into a fit of laughter.

"Maybe we should stop looking. It's encouraging them," Bella said.

Alice nodded in agreement. "It could be worse," Alice motioned to two girls who appeared to be trying to wiggle out of their clothes in tune to the music.

"I really hope alcohol is involved in all of this," Bella said as she eyed the girls with pity. "Because if they're serious…"

"Then I'm having a party with a bunch of people who belong on the short bus." Alice concluded.

The girls continued to banter back and forth, their conversation turning from mockery to music and then to boys. As if they were queued for an entrance, Jasper and Edward returned to the girls, smelling of beer and cigarettes.

"This asshole got beer all over me," Edward pointed at Jasper.

"I told you to go get a new one out of my room." Jasper offered.

Edward looked like he was going to deny the offer, but when Bella pointed to the beer-darkened shoulder of his shirt, he grabbed her hand and headed past the forbidden, roped off area and up the stairs to Jasper's room.

Alice watched them go and then turned to meet Jasper's gaze.

"What?" she asked.

"What were you guys talking about?" Jasper wanted to know.

"Just stuff," Alice answered vaguely.

"Admit it. She's pretty cool." Jasper grinned.

Alice rolled her eyes. "Jasper, you're such a _girl_ sometimes."

But Alice knew Jasper was right. In the few interactions she'd had with Bella, the girl did seem to be okay. Of course she did – because Alice needed her _not_ to be. Something told her it would be a lot easier if she didn't get too friendly with Bella Swan.

********

Bella thought innocently of following Edward into Jasper's room. After all, he reeked of beer and it was all Jasper's fault. The least he could do was lend Edward a shirt.

However, upon entering the room it became rapidly evident that Edward had little interest in searching out an article of clothing. Without turning on the light, he simply slipped his wet shirt off before encircling Bella in his arms and walking her over to Jasper's bed.

"Finally," he exhaled. "Just you and me."

Edward made no secret of the fact that he was anxious to get a good look at Bella's newly shorn crotch. While his lips made love to Bella's, Edward's nimble fingers grasped the edges of her skirt and lifted it high, revealing underwear – the color undeterminable in the darkness.

With a hurried gentleness, Edward coaxed Bella to sit with her back resting against the bed's makeshift headboard. Determined hands swept up Bella's thighs, parting her legs and bringing her feet to rest flat on the bed. Bella watched through a desire-induced haze as Edward sat before her, his eyes determined. When Edward saw the way Bella was watching his every move, he leaned forward until his mouth met hers. His kiss was delicate and reassuring.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered.

Bella's response to him was a silent one. She placed one hand on the side of his face and kissed him deeply. _I'm beautiful with you_, the reaction said.

Edward made quick work of her underwear before rearing back to bestow visual homage to the promised land. Bella sat exposed, from the waist down, as Edward gaped in awe of her in the pale moonlight.

"_That_ is so fuckin' hot," Edward said, more to himself than Bella.

She awaited the moment his fingers would touch her with bated breath. She had been dreaming of this moment for ten thousand minutes and her body was now reacting to the eminent reality.

But the sensation of Edward's fingers was short lived. Bella might have been disappointed…if he hadn't begun doing something that was oh so much better.

When Edward licked his lips and leaned down towards her belly button, Bella's breath caught in her throat as her mind raced to sequence the possibilities of what was about to happen.

_Is he going to do what I think he's going to do?… Is it going to feel weird?… Will it tickle?… Will I laugh?… What will I taste like?… What will I smell like?_

And then Edward's tongue made contact with Bella's clit. All unspoken questions silenced.

The fast and furious way the cool tip of Edward's tongue flickered against Bella's slit made her feel a dichotomy of emotions. It felt too glorious to have him continue, yet too euphoric to have him stop. As Bella reached her summit, she clawed at the bedspread beneath her and squealed Edward's name through clenched teeth. One final shiver was coaxed from her body by the soft twirl of Edward's tongue before he climbed up her body and showered her neck with kisses.

All of the mental boundaries Bella had prepared for how far she would go fell by the wayside as Edward rose to his knees on the bed. He pulled her up with him so that his hands could rove freely over her backside.

With frenzied kisses, she attempted to mimic him movement for movement, wanting him to lead her by his desire. When his hands cupped her ass, Bella slid her hands into the back pockets of his jeans. And when he reached forward and groped her sex with skill and grace, Bella fumbled with his belt. Her hands shook as she struggled to free him, but Edward kept up his competent and composed movements until Bella had successfully unfastened his jeans.

Bella's eyes took in the intimidating form of a naked Edward Cullen. His erection leaning away from his torso and reaching for the heavens, reminded Bella that she was in unfamiliar territory. As if sensing her dilemma, Edward reached out and placed her hand on his cock. Without letting go, he led her in stroking him up and down his length. Bella stole glances at his ecstasy-riddled face to see his response to the sensations her hand was creating on his increasingly hardening member.

Edward's breathing increased rapidly as he leaned into Bella. "Can you suck it?" he whispered in her ear.

The hesitation was brief. It wasn't that she didn't want to do it – it was that she wanted to do it _right. _Bella was aware that Edward knew what he was asking for. He had experienced it before and he had liked it then. Insecurity, once again, rose within her as she wondered if she would bring him to the same gratification.

Gingerly, she knelt down and put her hand on Edward's erection to position it towards her mouth. Her tongue darted against his tip for a quick taste, the salty essence of pre cum prevalent there.

Edward tersely strained air through his teeth. "Oooh, yeah," he moaned.

Bella's confidence percolated. She opened her mouth and took as much of him in as she could. She lavished him with her lips and the more he praised her with his verbal expression, the more diligent she became. Just as she was beginning to feel confident in her endeavor, she felt Edward's hand grasp her shoulders and push her back.

"Okay," he said in a constricted voice.

Bella moved away from him just as he jumped up and grabbed his shirt off the floor. She was about to ask him if everything was okay, until she realized what he was doing.

Edward turned and looked over his shoulder at her. "I didn't know if you would…you know…since you've never done this before…"

"I would have," Bella said softly, the boldness of her statement surprising only Edward.

Bella was quickly coming to realize that there was very little she wouldn't do for Edward Cullen – and certainly when he was looking at her like she was the most important person in the world.

********

Both Jasper and Alice had grown bored of the keg stands that were happening in Jasper's back yard. They were headed towards the living room and all of the people gyrating within its confines when Jasper saw Edward and Bella descending down the stairs. Jasper grimaced when he noticed that Edward was wearing one of his brand new shirts.

"Have they been upstairs all that time?" Alice turned and asked Jasper with wide eyes.

Jasper nodded. "Remind me to take all my sheets off my bed."

"Ew," Alice laughed. "That's so gross."

Jasper decided to have a little fun at his friend's expense, but he didn't want to embarrass Bella, so he waiting until Alice had engaged her in conversation about how badly she needed a smoke and how much she hated clove cigarettes.

"Hey, you got something right…here," Jasper pointed at the corner of his mouth and motioned towards Edward. It was the oldest trick in the book and Edward didn't even come close to falling for it.

"Shut the hell up," he said instead.

Jasper raised his eyebrows as he looked from Bella to Edward, inquiring about Edward's recent activities. "Did you?"

Edward shook his head. "Nah."

And Jasper could tell by the way it was said that he wasn't going to get any more information than that.

Alice and Bella laughed when their conversation turned to their history teacher and the outdated outfits she seemed so fond of. Alice was in mid-chortle when she noticed Rosalie on the other side of the house. Across the crowded room, their eyes locked and Alice thought it looked like Rosalie had been crying. But before she could flag her down, Rosalie opened the door that led into the garage and disappeared.

********

Rosalie sat on the steps in the halogen-illuminated luster of Jasper's garage. Her chest hurt: her heart, her lungs, her throat…The achy-ness made her crave death. At least that way she wouldn't have to feel.

Surrounded by people she knew well enough to call friends, Rosalie felt like an alien, an outsider that didn't belong. It was as if she'd awoken in a parallel universe where only names and likenesses remained and all else was something else entirely.

The realization of her thoughts made Rosalie feel weak and pathetic. And to add insult to injury, her eyes began to water and the tears spilled over in response to her loneliness.

As she leaned her head on the banister railing, she wondered how her life had gotten to this point. Earlier today she had been so resolved, so sure of what she was about to do. But now, it all seemed so pointless. Any attempt to get her point across, to make herself heart…somehow she was sure it wouldn't even matter.

"What the fuck is going on with me?" she shook her head at herself.

"I don't know, but I was just about to ask you the same question."

Rosalie's head snapped up to see Emmett looking quite disturbed by her presence.

"What are you doing in here?" Rosalie barked at him. He'd caught her off guard and she felt humiliated that he'd seen her in such an off-kilter moment.

"Since this is my house, it's probably more my place to ask you that question." Emmett looked at her with slight annoyance.

"I'm hiding," Rosalie said quietly.

"Don't tell me you're out here crying over some guy." Emmett demanded.

"No!" Rosalie said defensively. "It's more…complicated than that."

"People always say their shit is complicated. All complicated means is that your shit is fucked up and you don't want to face facts." Emmett deduced. "So face facts. Your shit is fucked up."

Rosalie chuckled softly, though her facial expression denied any humor. "Yeah. My shit _is_ fucked up."

Emmett eyed her comically before ducking his head under the hood of his car. With remote interest, Rosalie craned her neck to see what he was doing.

"You shouldn't do that," she said of the way he was handling his car battery.

Emmett scoffed at her. "You stick to your drama and your parties and I'll stick to cars."

"That looks like a new battery. Why'd you take it out?" Rosalie ignored him.

"It is a new battery," Emmett temporarily forgot that he'd just dismissed her. "But my car won't start and I've checked everything else."

"Spark plugs?" Rosalie asked.

"They're fine." Emmett answered.

"Timing belt?"

"No belt. It has a chain and it's not broken."

Rosalie left her seated position and walked over to where Emmett stood near his vehicle. She leaned inside the open window of the car door and started cracking up laughing.

"You're a moron!" she laughed.

"What?" Emmett didn't like the name calling, but he'd rather a laughing girl than a crying girl in his garage.

"You still have the car in drive. You can't start a car unless it's in park." Rosalie said in minor hysterics.

"What the fuck?" Emmett went over to the car and got a look for himself. Sure enough, the gearshift was engaged in the drive position. "I knew that," he said as he glanced sideways at Rosalie.

"Sure you did," she wasn't convinced.

Rosalie waited smugly as Emmett set the car to park, resituated his car battery and started his car. The engine roared to life.

"I can't believe that's all it was. I've been out here for hours!" Emmett complained. This caused Rosalie to start laughing again.

"It's always something like that," Rosalie said.

"What's your name again?" Emmett asked.

"It's Rosalie, and don't forget it again because I'm not going to tell you again," she warned.

Emmett rolled his eyes. "So, Rose-"

"Rosa-LIE."

"That's what I said. Rose." Emmett teased. "Thank you for your help, but if you tell anybody what was wrong with my car, I'll vehemently deny it."

"Ooh, not vehemently." She mocked him. Without another word she turned and headed up the stairs to return to the party.

"Oh, and Rose," Emmett waited until he had her attention. "Don't take any shit from anybody in there. If someone is giving you a hard time, you make him regret the day he ever met you."

"I'm working on it," Rosalie said. Although Emmett had been making an assumption when he'd referred to her problem, as a "he", Rosalie didn't feel it necessary to confirm his suspicion. However, just as he was grateful to her for solving his car problem, he would never know who grateful to him she was for giving her the renewed conviction to address her "complication".

********

Edward still had the taste of Bella in his memory when he awoke the next morning. As he sat up and threw back his sheets, he replayed the feeling of Bella's lips on his cock. Silently he wondered how the best blowjob of his young life could come from someone who'd never given one before. He smiled as the answer to his unspoken question immediately came to him: Bella. Edward was quickly learning that everything he did with Bella, big or small, was great.

The clock alerted him to the fact that he had roughly two hours until he would get to see Bella again. He was on his way to the bathroom when he heard his phone chime, signaling a text message. Edward felt like an idiot for how quickly he hastened to his phone to see if Bella was simply saying good morning, or telling him that she wouldn't be able to make it to his sister's birthday party.

But the message wasn't from Bella. It was from Jasper and upon closer inspection, it was the third message he'd sent that morning:

**CALL ME. ASAP. CALL. NOW!!**

"What's up?" Edward asked when got Jasper on the phone.

"Aw, man. Did you see it?" Jasper asked with a sense of foreboding.

"See what?" Edward asked. He wished Jasper would just get to the point already.

"You didn't check the link I sent you?" Jasper asked.

"I didn't see any link. I didn't scroll down." Edward's irritation was growing with every passing second that he didn't know what Jasper was talking about.

"Man…just…check the link."

"Would you just fuckin' tell me what's going on? I have to go to a birthday party and I'm not even ready." Edward argued.

"Dude…someone put a video of you and Bella having sex on the Internet."

"What?" Edward was sure he hadn't heard correctly.

"That's what I was trying to tell you. Go on Youtube and search for your name and Bella's. Some dude on the football team sent it to Alice and she sent it to me." Jasper explained.

"Well it's a fake because I told you, I didn't have sex with her."

"Just…watch the video." Jasper instructed.

Edward booted up his computer while still on the phone with Jasper. He fully expected to find that either his friend was playing a practical joke, or there was a poorly edited or photo-shopped video of two people claiming to be Edward and Bella.

Through a successful search, Edward was able to find the video in question. He pressed play as he listened to Jasper do the same on the other end of the phone line.

"You can't even fuckin' see anything. It's black," Edward complained.

"Sssh…listen," Jasper instructed.

Edward turned up the volume on his speakers.

And then he heard it.

Bella's voice was as clear as it had been last night when she'd called out his name in ecstasy.

"What the fuck?" Edward's temper flared. "You had a fuckin' webcam on in your room?"

"Like I would fuckin' record you and then post that shit on the Internet and then call you to tell you about it." Jasper said.

"Well…what the fuck?" Edward repeated again. He restarted the video and tried to make out the two people and what they were doing. It was impossible to tell, even for him and he _knew_ what had happened.

"Look at the video when it gets to two minutes and seventeen seconds," Jasper said.

Not wanting to watch anymore than necessary, Edward sped up the video. When the counter read 2:17, a small finger was temporarily visible through the lens, alerting Edward to two facts:

This video was not taken by a guy.

This video was taken at close proximity.

A sickening feeling washed over Edward as he realized that he and Bella had not been alone in that room. Suddenly the intimate acts that had felt loving and right and private, now felt sullied and dirty and…wrong. In one failed maneuver, someone had tainted this experience –

"Bella doesn't know." Edward choked out.

"Dude, you gotta tell her," Jasper said.


	19. Chapter 19

**The Tutor**

**Chapter 19 – Lying in Wait**

Bella hugged her knees to her chest happily as she sat in the middle of her bed thinking about Edward and remembering how he'd made her feel last night. Her face flamed as the image of his naked body filled her memory. The way Edward made her feel, not just at his touch, but at the way he all but came undone by what _she _had done to _him_ – it made Bella feel desirable and desired at the same time. Desired by Edward. She couldn't imagine wanting to be anything less.

Charlie was downstairs, already in front of the television, when Bella emerged a few hours after her usual waking time.

"Long night?" Charlie asked, as he looked her up and down.

"Long week," Bella retorted.

It wasn't the answer that Charlie was looking for, so he tried again. "What time did you get home?"

"By curfew, Dad." Bella knew exactly what he was after.

She had hoped the conversation would end there, but when she took a seat at the kitchen table, Charlie came in and took a seat as well.

"So, Edward…" he began.

Bella's chewing rhythm faltered at the sound of the name that was currently occupying her thoughts.

"Yeah?" Her voice sounded a little higher than she was comfortable with. She knew her father would notice any change in her breathing, her demeanor, even her eye blinking, at the sound of Edward's name.

"You said he was just a friend, but –"

"He _was_ just a friend. But now…it's more," Bella was bashful as she bared her emotions before her father.

"Uh huh," Charlie said. His tone revealed that he felt it had been "something more" long ago.

Bella just nodded over her cereal bowl and tried to signal to her father that she didn't want to talk anymore by sinking lower in her chair. It didn't work.

"So what do you know about Edward?" Charlie began.

"I know he was adopted by the Cullens almost four years ago. He has a younger sister – she was adopted, too. Um…he doesn't like school that much…"

"Sounds like a wealth of knowledge," Charlie said sarcastically.

"Dad, we've been together for about a week. We're getting to know each other. It's a process."

"When your mom and I had been together for a week, I knew her favorite color, her favorite flower, what she wanted to be when she grew up, where she was born, her middle name…"

"And I bet you didn't feel the need to share all those intimate details with other people. Am I right?" Bella's question sent a message.

Her words were successful in shutting Charlie down for the moment. He gave his characteristic grunt and sat back in his chair in defeat.

"Anthony." Bella stated, matter of fact.

"Who's Anthony?" Charlie asked.

"Anthony is Edward's middle name."

By the time the Cullens arrived to pick up Bella, she was more than ready to get out from under Charlie's watchful glare. As she walked to the waiting SUV that held Edward and his family, Bella could feel Charlie's eyes on her back. She also heard his disgruntled murmur about Edward not even getting out of the car to open her door.

"It's 2009, Dad." Bella called over her shoulder.

But something was amiss; Bella felt it as soon as she slid next to Edward in the back seat. He acknowledged her with a tight-lipped smile before turning his attention back towards the window. Bella touched his hand, but he simply wound his fingers tightly into hers without another glance.

Figuring it was just because his family was in the car, Bella turned to Maddie, who was almost bouncing out of her seat to gain attention.

"Happy birthday," Bella smiled at her.

Maddie eyed the beautifully wrapped package Bella held on her lap. "That's for me, isn't it?"

"You bet."

"Hmm, it looks like a big Barbie box. Is it Barbie?" Maddie asked.

Edward turned his head and looked sharply at his sister. "You just have to wait and see. I told you that this morning."

"But you already let me open your present," Maddie reminded him.

Bella looked to Edward. "You gave it to her already?" she said of the present they'd picked up late Friday afternoon.

Edward shrugged. "She got to open one present this morning and she chose that one."

"Oh," Bella was disappointed. She had been looking forward to seeing Maddie's face when she'd unwrapped the electronic puppy.

"It was a hit, just like you said it would be," Edward said softly as he rubbed the back of Bella's hand with his thumb.

Bella looked at him deeply then, searching his face for a sense of what was wrong. He held her gaze for a few seconds before turning away.

"So Bella," Carlisle's voice interrupted the exchange. "Did you bring your rollerskates?"

"Uh…no. I'm pretty sure that's illegal in all fifty states – me on rollerskates." Bella answered.

Both Carlisle and Esme laughed a little harder than the joke garnered and Edward shifted uncomfortably in his seat next to her, but he tightened his grip on her hand.

The tension in the backseat was suffocating and Bella felt that she would choke on it any minute. Internally she screamed at Edward: _Look at me! Talk to me! _But externally, she remained silent.

********

Alice rolled over and buried her face in Jasper's chest. He had been unsuccessfully trying to get her to wake up for the last hour.

Finally, after the last partygoers had left Jasper's house late into the night, he and Alice had fled from the mess and hightailed it to her house for a good night sleep.

"Come on, Sleeping Beauty," Jasper said as he attempted to kiss Alice to a wakeful state.

"Ew, Jasper! Morning breath," Alice turned away from him.

"I already brushed my teeth," Jasper said.

"I meant me, not you." Alice smiled. "I have cotton mouth."

Jasper shrugged. He didn't care. Alice had passed out soon after they'd gotten to her house early that morning and he had certain urges that hadn't been attended to. Plus, she'd been grinding against him in her sleep and that didn't make matters any better.

"You know what works good for cotton mouth?" Jasper asked playfully as he placed Alice's dainty hand against his morning erection.

Alice giggled, but gave in to her lover's desire. She trailed a few kisses down his lean abdomen before landing herself between his legs. After a coquettish batting of her eyelashes, Alice plunged Jasper deep into her mouth.

The fact that Jasper kept his eyes on Alice the entire time she worked him, turned her on and she put that much more effort into her endeavors. She continued to tease his tip, even after he'd coated her throat with his release.

"You are the best girlfriend, ever," Jasper said as he pulled Alice against his body.

"That's right. And don't you forget it," she laughed softly. She lay there in his embrace for a few more minutes before she exited to freshen up in the bathroom.

Alice returned twenty minutes later cloaked in a bath sheet; her dark, short hair shiny and dripping. Jasper lay just where she'd left him, fiddling with his iphone.

"The video's been removed," he said. No further explanation was warranted. They both knew exactly which video he was referring to.

"Bella must be mortified." Alice said as she dropped the towel and rummaged through her drawer for underwear. "I wonder if she'll be at school Monday."

"Well…" Jasper frowned as he scrolled down on his phone's screen. "She probably _will_ be there, seeing as she doesn't know about the video yet."

********

Edward responded to Jasper's text about how Bella was taking the news of the video before tucking his phone into his pocket and pretending to focus on the uncoordinated skaters in the rink.

Bella had been busy helping Esme set up the table, serve pizza and tie rollerskates, so Edward hadn't had to face her much since they'd arrived at the rink. However, he knew that he was going to have to confront her soon. It was nearly impossible to look into her innocent, unassuming eyes and tell her something so…unjust. And if he was being honest with himself, he was also a little worried that because of that damn video he'd never get to see Bella naked again. Now _that_ was unjust!

"I got you a soda."

Edward looked over at Bella as she placed the cold soft drink in front of him. He noticed that she wasn't looking at him. Behind her, Esme glanced at the pair with a worried expression on her face.

"Thanks," Edward muttered.

"That was sweet, Bella," Esme said, but her eyes were on Edward. "He's always a little grumpy when he doesn't get enough sleep. Must have been some party."

"It was okay," Bella answered, a little too quickly in Edward's opinion. "We didn't do much. Just hung out and listened to music and stuff."

"Oh." Esme nodded. Her leering gaze also didn't go unnoticed by her son.

"Mom, that kid over there is holding her crotch and crying. Maybe you should help her," Edward pointed. Esme made a quick retreat, leaving he and Bella alone.

Edward was sure the anguish was clear on his face when Bella's eyes met his, but she didn't comment on it. Instead, she walked over to the ledge of the rink and leaned against it as she watched Maddie and her friends trip all over themselves. Occasionally Maddie would wave to her and she'd wave back, but the expression on her face was distant and distracted.

Edward walked up and stood behind her, so close that his body was touching hers. But he offered no words.

"Just tell me," Bella finally said, low enough that only Edward would hear her.

"What?" Edward leaned closer, although he'd heard her perfectly. It was simply a stalling tactic to gain more time to compose his thoughts.

"Why are you mad? What did I do?" Bella asked, her eyes still straight ahead.

While Edward had been struggling with how he was going to break the news of the video to Bella, he'd known he was acting strange, but it had never dawned on him that she would think that _she_ had done something wrong.

"I'm not mad, Bella," Edward said as he put his arm around her waist. At his words, Bella melted into him, all of the tension leaving her body.

"Then why are you being so…quiet? You've hardly said anything to me all morning." Bella told him.

"Bella…I need to talk to you about something," Edward said in one exhale.

"I think I can count on one hand the number of traumatic conversations that didn't start with that line." Bella looked fearful.

Edward wanted to kiss her fear away – to tell her that everything was all right. But that would be dishonest. And for Bella, Edward wanted to be honest.

"Bella…" Edward looked down into Bella's beautiful russet pools of expression and the tiny bit of resolve he'd accumulated faltered. "Don't talk to my mom about us anymore."

"What?" Bella asked as if she hadn't heard him correctly.

"Your face. It shows everything," Edward explained. "When you told her that we only listened to music and hung out, you blushed. You might as well have told her everything we did."

Bella looked humiliated at his reprimand. "Is that what's bugging you? Are you embarrassed about what happened last night?" Bella whispered. "Are you embarrassed by _me?_"

Edward's head jerked up quickly and he let go of all anxiety as he wrapped his arms tightly around Bella. "How can you think that? Of course not," he said urgently as he kissed the top of her head.

He realized that he was sinking deeper in the hole he was digging with every passing moment that he didn't tell Bella about the video. "We'll talk as soon as we get back to my house. I promise."

********

"So, is it true?" Rosalie asked as soon as Alice answered her phone.

"Is what true?" Alice asked.

"There's a sex video of Edward and Bella on the Internet?" Rosalie giggled into the phone.

Alice rolled her eyes. "I guess. I'm so bored with this already. I mean, can you say 'gross'? Edward's like, the last guy on earth I'd want to watch make it with some girl."

"Did you see the video?"

"Not all of it. But it's been taken down anyway."

"Really? It got yanked?"

"That's what Jasper said. That's what he told Edward, anyway."

"Oooh, what did Edward say? I bet he was pissed."

"I haven't really talked to Edward. But Jasper was the one to tell him about it. He wasn't happy about it, that's for sure. I mean, you have to admit, it's pretty creepy to have someone watching you while you're gettin' it on."

Rosalie simply laughed. "Anyway, I need to go to the mall. I was wondering if you wanted to come."

"You know I can't. I have to clean up from Jasper's party. And then I have to clean up tomorrow from Emmett's. Ugh. I'm never having a party again." Alice wailed.

"Well, I would help you but I have to…do anything else."

"Great. Nice friend."

"Sorry."

"Well I have to go. Jasper's mumbling something about going somewhere before we have to go clean."

"Okay. Well I'll see you later. And don't be late picking me up Monday. I can not wait to hear what everyone is saying about Bimbo Bella."

********

Jasper had overheard Alice talking to Rosalie about the infamous video and he wondered if it meant that it had resurfaced. His curiosity led him back to the Internet to check, and sure enough the video had been reposted under a different account name.

"Hey Alice, let's go. I need to stop by Edward's on my way home." Jasper said as he hurried Alice along.

She quickly threw on a pair of jeans and flats, along with an old shirt of Jasper's, and followed Jasper out to his car.

When they arrived at the Cullen's it appeared as though no one was home. Jasper cut the engine and prepared to wait.

Alice was just about to complain when a large SUV pulled into the Cullen driveway. Jasper immediately got out of his car and watched as Edward and Bella emerged soon after.

Alice got out of the car just as Edward walked up to Jasper, followed closely by Bella.

"What's going on?" Edward asked.

"That video's back up," Jasper said.

Edward looked over his shoulder at Bella and lowered his voice. "You came all the way over here to tell me that?"

"It's on my way home. Anyway, you might need to like…threaten legal action or something." Jasper said.

"Legal action for what?" Bella stepped forward. She looked worried as she looked between Jasper and Edward.

Alice watched the visual exchange between Edward and Jasper and her mouth began moving before she'd thought it through.

"You didn't tell her?" she pointed at Bella.

"Alice, shut up," Edward snapped.

"Tell me what, Edward?" Bella asked him softly as she gently tugged on the edge of his shirt.

"It's nothing. Just some stupid shit," Edward made light of the situation.

"What?" Bella asked. "What happened?"

Edward stared at Bella for a long while.

"Just tell her, man," Jasper urged. _Just get it over with._

Edward turned and glared at Jasper. "I _am_ going to tell her. I don't need a fuckin' audience."

"Will someone please tell me what the heck is going on?" Bella demanded, her eyes darting to all present.

Edward yanked open the back door of Jasper's car and gestured for Bella to get inside. When she did, he got in after her and slammed the door shut in Jasper's face.

Jasper and Alice tried not to stare as Edward told Bella the events that had led up to Jasper arriving at the Cullen house. Occasionally they'd glance over their shoulder to see how the conversation was progressing, but it seemed so anti-climatic.

Suddenly Bella burst forth from of the car and began pacing back and forth.

"Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. . god!" She covered her face with her hands and let out a stifled scream. "Who would do that?"

Edward was out of the car in no time flat. "Bella, look at me – it's not a big deal."

"Easy for you to say," Bella snarled. "My dad is going to kill me…and you."

"Bella," Alice spoke up for the first time, "it's not that big a deal. You can't see anything in the video, so just tell people it's not you. It'll blow over before you know it."

Bella looked overcome by embarrassment, misunderstanding and disbelief as she walked over to Jasper's car and leaned against it for support.

"How…what the hell…" she stared at the ground. "Why would anyone do that?"

Alice stared over at Edward as he tried to calm Bella down.

"Seriously, Bella. Just act like it's not you. Denial is the quickest way to kill a rumor…right, Edward?"

Something in the way she asked the question had Edward thinking that she wasn't really talking about this matter at all.

********

Bella had vehemently refused to look at the small screen of Jasper's iphone when he'd insisted upon trying to show her that there wasn't really much to the video.

"I don't want to see it!" she'd yelled at him.

But as soon as she was alone, behind closed and locked doors, that was exactly what she'd wanted to do.

Alice had been right. It was pretty hard to see anything. But what one couldn't see, they could certainly hear. Bella covered her face in mortification as she heard herself responding to Edward's manipulation of her body. And knowing that someone else…everyone else would hear her, too… it was too much to bear. Quickly Bella shut off her computer and fell face down on her bed.

The next day, Bella considered staying home from school, but she figured Alice was probably right about the denial issue and if she skipped school, Bella knew she would be solidifying in the minds of her peers that what they'd heard about the "sex tape" had been true. So off to school she went.

It took a mere half an hour to realize that Alice was _not_ correct.

At first, people just stared, pointed and whispered as Bella walked by. She kept her head up and acted as if nothing was going on, but it was very difficult. And, of course, Edward didn't come to school early, so she had to face it on her own.

On her way to her first class, Bella thought she could remedy the situation by avoiding eye contact with everyone. That didn't make a difference to Tyler Crowley. He locked her in his sights and then strode towards her, as if he were going to walk right through her. As soon as he was close enough, he spoke at the top of his lungs:

"Oooh…ooohh….aaahhh…Eeeedddwwarrrd…ooohhh!"

Everyone within listening distance began laughing. Bella simply frowned like she didn't have the faintest idea what he was talking about, but her hue betrayed her: she turned beet-red.

"Hey, Bella. Did you finish that homework assignment from this weekend?" Alice walked up to Bella at that moment.

"What homework assignment?" Bella asked as she side-stepped the lookie-loos and followed after Alice.

"You know, the one…" Alice looked at Bella and nodded.

Bella looked confused for a moment until she realized there was no homework and Alice was just trying to defer her attention from Tyler and his antics.

"Oh," Bella smiled. "Yeah."

Once in class, Alice chose to sit in one of two empty seats and Bella sat down beside her. Unfortunately for Bella, there was an empty seat in front of her and Rosalie took it, after traipsing into class a little after the bell rang.

"So Bella," Rosalie smirked, "you're quite the celebrity around here."

"Really? I am?" Bella asked with disinterest.

"Yeah. You did it up Paris Hilton style," Rosalie smiled. "Sex tapes and all."

"Wait…what?" Bella shook her head.

"You know," Rosalie nodded. "You and Edward…on the Internet?"

Bella shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You haven't heard about it, Bella?" Another girl leaned across the isle to get in on the conversation.

"It was a fake," Alice chirped. "It wasn't true."

Alice spoke with such certainty that half the people who heard her believed her right away. The other half would have disengaged, had it not been for Bella and Rosalie's colorful exchange.

"I saw it. It certainly sounded like you." Rosalie said. Her eyes darted briefly to Alice before settling on Bella.

"How do you know what I sound like?" Bella quirked an eyebrow.

"Bella, at this point, dare I say that _everyone_ knows what you sound like?" Rosalie challenged.

"That wasn't me." Bella said with confidence.

Rosalie shrugged. "I know if someone put me and my man on the Internet going at it like monkeys, I'd say it wasn't me, too."

"I don't know," Bella pondered. "I'd probably cop to that shit."

The words out of Bella's mouth were so "un-Bella-like" that even Alice turned and dropped her jaw in shock. And then she caught Bella's eye and smiled.

********

It had been a hell of a morning. First, Edward had slept through his alarm. Then he woke up to a note from Esme saying that she'd left early to accompany Maddie on a school field trip, which meant that he'd be responsible to get his own breakfast and get himself to school. Breakfast wasn't an issue, since he usually didn't want any. And since Esme and Carlisle were out of the house, a cigarette on the back deck would certainly hit the spot.

However, getting himself to school became a little more daunting. He'd missed the first bus, which meant he'd have to wait another thirty-five minutes for the next one, landing him at school sometime during his second class. Add to that the fact that it was raining, and Edward really didn't feel like walking in the rain. But he knew what was waiting for Bella at school, so with a litany of swear words, and a hooded sweatshirt, Edward trudged off to school on foot…in the rain – his un-drivable car mocking him from its place in the garage.

It didn't take long for Edward's presence to be announced on campus. Though it wasn't audible, he felt a certain reverence exuding from the male population. At first he thought it was all in his mind, until one gangly freshman had the audacity to come up to Edward and attempt to give him a high five. Edward shoved him into a brick wall without even slowing down his stride.

Since it was raining relentlessly, he didn't bother going to the smoking rock or to his usual table in the quad. He casually walked by Bella's first class, just to make sure she was well and accounted for. A slow smile appeared when he saw that she was okay. He quickly crossed to the other side of the hall and concealed himself around the corner, where he settled down to wait for Bella to emerge.

She had her head down as she walked out of the classroom fifteen minutes later. Edward didn't announce himself. He simply walked up to her and slipped his hand in hers – a protective measure.

"There you are," she smiled up at him. "Where were you?"

"I overslept," Edward answered honestly. "How's it been here, today?"

Bella shrugged. "It's been okay. No one really said anything except for Tyler Crowley…and Rosalie."

"Tyler? What the fuck did he say? I'll kick his ass," Edward said fiercely.

"He's not worth your time," Bella stated. Her motive to keep Edward at bay and out of trouble worked, though it helped that Tyler didn't happen to cross their path.

********

By lunchtime, two girls had gotten into a fight in the mud, relegating Bella and Edward's sexual escapades to the category of old news. And then, to further help matters, the sun came out, lifting everyone's spirits.

Bella followed Edward to his usual table in the quad, and although Jessica Stanley was already seated there, flipping through pictures, they ignored her and she did the same to them. Jasper and Alice walked up minutes later, sitting across from one another at the table.

Alice mouthed a question to Bella, asking her if she was okay. Bella nodded as she broke off a piece of her chocolate chip cookie and ate it. Alice nodded and then turned her attention to Jessica and her pictures.

"Are those from the party?" Alice asked.

"Yeah. Look, I'm doing a keg stand," Jessica giggled.

Alice grabbed the picture to get a better look. "I wonder if that's the asshole who broke the tap," Alice pointed to a guy in the photograph.

Jessica shrugged her shoulders and went back to her photo. She ooh-ed and ahh-ed over certain pictures before suddenly a large squeal came out of her mouth.

"She got it! She got it!" Jessica waved the picture in front of Alice's face.

"Who and what did she get?" Alice shoved Jessica's hand away.

"Rosalie got this shot of this guy for me. I totally don't know his name but he goes to Castle Rock. I want to take him to prom," Jessica blabbed.

"Rosalie took these pictures?" Alice leaned in for a closer look.

"Yeah," Jessica said as she continued to fawn over Mr. Castle Rock.

"With your camera?" Alice pressed.

"No, with hers."

"Oh, that cute little pink one?"

Jessica finally looked over at Alice like she was the most dim-witted individual she'd ever come in contact with.

"I don't know. Just some camera. Focus, Alice: Mr. Castle Rock. Who cares about the damn camera?"

Alice did.

********

Jasper leaned over to Edward and told him something he already knew. Bella was strong. Bella could take care of herself. Bella was cool.

As Jasper spoke, obscurely so that Bella was none the wiser, Edward found his pride soaring for the girl that sat at his side. That was _his_ girl, and according to Jasper (who was quoting Alice), his girl didn't take "no shit".

Edward placed his hand on Bella's knee, letting her know that even though he wasn't looking at her, she was on his mind. In fact, his mind was so entrenched with thoughts of Bella that Edward was sure he wouldn't be able to concentrate on the rest of the day.

"I think I'm sick," he told her.

"Really," Bella looked upon him empathetically. "What's wrong?"

"I walked here in the rain. I think I'm getting a cold. I _hope_ it's just a cold." Edward mustered up a cough and cleared his throat. "And I can't call my mom to come get me. She's at my sister's school."

"What about your dad?" Bella asked.

"He's working," Edward said. "Do you think your dad would care if you drove your sick boyfriend home?" Edward unleashed his sad eyes on Bella.

"Um…" Bella's teeth tugged on her bottom lip. "I guess. I could just tell him I'm having "woman issues". He never questions that," Bella laughed.

"Are you?" Edward asked. "You know, on your…"

"No!" Bella answered quickly with embarrassment in her eyes.

Edward smirked before gazing towards the student parking lot. "So you'll take me home then?"

********

Rosalie emerged from the west wing of the school, her eyes searching for Alice. When she saw that Bella was sitting in her usual spot at the lunch table, she groaned. Not that it wouldn't be fun to mess with her more about that video, but Edward was there and Rosalie was not in the mood to deal with him. Or rather, she was not in the mood to deal with Edward _with_ Bella. _Edwella…Bedward…ugh._

After a few minutes of waiting, however, the offensive couple moved on and Alice headed off to her locker without Jasper.

"Hey," Rosalie's voice was edgy as she approached Alice.

"Hey, yourself," Alice said in return. "Where were you? How come you weren't at lunch?"

"Maybe because I didn't feel like hanging out with you and your new BFF," Rosalie rolled her eyes. "Seriously. What's up with you and her now?"

"Nothing." Alice simply stated.

"Doesn't seem like nothing. You're all defending her skanky ass over that video."

"Well that's just…wrong. I mean, it probably isn't her anyway. It's so dark there's no way to tell." Alice said.

"It's her." Rosalie said with authority. "She knows it's her."

Alice shut her locker and looked Rosalie in the eye. "How do you know? Do you know who got the video?"

Rosalie's silent leer was lingering. But then she slowly shook her head. "No, I don't" she concluded, "But that shit _is_ real."

********

It was a quick ride to Edward's house. Bella left her truck idling as she sat in the driveway with Edward.

"Can you come in for a minute?" Edward asked her.

"Uh…yeah, sure." Bella checked her watch before turning off her car and following Edward into his house.

Edward took the stairs two at a time and waited for Bella to catch up before he entered his room and shut the door.

"So, are we still pretending that we don't know what's going on here?" Edward asked as he pressed Bella's body up against his closed door. "And by 'we', I mean you."

Bella looked up at him momentarily before the gaze turned playful. "Give me one more fake cough before I call game."

Edward laughed before he brought his lips down to hers. "I just didn't want to deal with that place today," he said quietly.

"To tell you the truth, neither did I," Bella said as she closed her eyes and succumbed to his kiss.

Confident that this time they were truly alone, Edward and Bella felt uninhibited as they made the short journey to Edward's bed to once again explore one another's bodies.

But when Edward said Bella's name in a low sultry tone, it reminded her of what she sounded like on that video, and she stopped what she was doing to once again clasp her hands over her face in dread.

"What's wrong?" Edward pulled her hands away from her face.

"That video," Bella shook her head. "Do I really sound like that?"

"You sound sexy."

"I sound like an idiot."

"Uh-uh," Edward murmured as he leaned down and kissed Bella's neck. "Everything you say is sexy. Even when you say spaghetti, that shit is sexy."

Bella briefly laughed at his statement, but then he deepened the kiss and desire took over.

"I want you…so bad…I want you, Bella," Edward said quietly as his hand reached between her legs.

Bella focused on the meaning behind those words. His words made her feel like he desired her; like he cared for her; like she was special to him. But she also knew what those words meant to him – what he felt he was communicating to her. Edward wanted more than groping sessions. He wanted to do more than take turns at bringing one another to release. He wanted something she could only give him once: her virginity.

He told her of his want in the way he slid two fingers inside of her, when he'd previously only used one.

"You're so ready for me," he caressed her ear with his words.

Bella moaned into his mouth, appreciating what he was doing to her, but not sure she wanted him to do more.

"Are you on the pill?" he asked without breaking his pace.

"I can be." Bella answered.

It wasn't a complete lie. Bella _could_ take birth control pills for Edward. And if she weren't already taking them, she would take them _for_ Edward. But the truth of the matter was that she had been on birth control pills for almost two years now, to regulate her period. It was the un-sexiest reason for birth control ever and she didn't feel compelled to share it with Edward.

In Bella's mind, her statement of being willing to take the pill was meant to buy her time. At some time in the distant or not so distant future, she would be on the pill. However, Edward did not decipher her words as anything more than willingness to do what he was asking her, in a roundabout way.

"I have condoms," he told her.

And then he added a third finger.

Bella's lips ceased their activity atop Edward's and her face contorted from pleasure to pain.

"Ow," she quietly groaned and reared up off the bed in an attempt to remove herself from the discomfort. But Edward was relentless – a man on a mission – and so she had to be blunt.

"Edward… please. That hurts." Bella tried to push his hand away.

"It won't hurt for long," Edward urged. "You just have to get used to it."

And so for a few more seconds, Bella tried to focus on anything but the searing pain that was piercing her loins. But in trying _not_ to focus on it, it was all she could focus on. And that just wasn't a turn on.

"Edward," she gently tapped his shoulder.

He could hear the defeat in her voice. With a loud sigh he rolled over on his back and blinked at the ceiling.

"Bella." His voice was strained. "You're killing me."

"I'm sorry," she said sincerely, running her fingers through his hair. "We can do other stuff."

"It's not the same. It doesn't…nevermind."

"And don't try to tell me that guys can die from not having sex. I know that shit isn't true." Bella laughed.

Edward didn't.

"Don't swear." He said.

"Why? You do."

"Yeah, well you don't."

Bella didn't bother to tell him that sometimes she _did_ swear. Instead, she continued the light stroking of her fingertips through his hair.

"I'm just not ready…yet," Bella said unabashedly. Edward had his eyes closed, and it was much easier to speak of such things when he wasn't looking at her with those piercing green eyes. "But I will be…soon. Will you wait for me?"

Edward opened his eyes and looked up at her. And though he didn't look angry, he didn't look happy either.

"You fuckin' know I will." The way that he said it was as if he didn't have control over whether or not he would or could wait for her. Like life gave him no other options but to deny himself that gratification until Bella was ready and willing.

********

Alice stared at her reflection in the graffiti- and scratched up mirror that ran the width of one wall in the girls' restroom. She grimaced at the color of the lip gloss she'd just applied to her lips before turning her nose up at the sandpaper the school considered paper towels.

"Hey, Rosalie, do you have any Kleenex in your purse?" Alice called to her friend in the stall.

"Yeah. My purse is in my backpack," Rosalie called through the door.

Alice quickly rummaged around in Rosalie's backpack before extracting a small hobo bag. She spotted a travel size package of facial tissue right away. As she reached in and grabbed it, her fingers grazed the cold, hard metal of a small pink camera.

With a quick glance over her shoulder, Alice pulled out the camera and turned it on. With it on the picture setting, she scrolled through a few photos…and one video.

Alice gasped.

But not from finding the video. She'd expected that.

What she hadn't expected was the menacing glare she was currently receiving from the girl she called her best friend. And in Rosalie's eyes, lay a threat – and in the silence of that bathroom, Alice heard it loud and clear.

* * *

**I can hear all the murmurings now, but yes, I promise you - it IS all related. How? Review and find out!**


	20. Chapter 20

**The Tutor**

**Chapter 20 – Disclosures**

Best friends keep secrets. It's what they do. Even when those secrets drive a wedge between friends and loved ones, it's against the code to divulge your best friend's secrets.

It was the mantra Alice recited to herself as she sent Jasper a text message telling him that she couldn't hang out with him after school. Instead she would be sitting in the gym going over a cheer routine for a Jamboree she had no interest in attending. She sent Rosalie the same message.

"You shouldn't slouch," Alice's mother said when she came into the kitchen and spotted her daughter at the kitchen counter.

"I'm not slouching. I'm leaning. There's a difference," Alice reported.

Her mother looked at her in annoyance. Her mouth was open to rebuke Alice's tone, but when she made eye contact, she found something more pressing to address.

"Don't wear that color. It makes you look pale." She said.

"Everything makes me look pale. I _am_ pale." Alice insisted.

"Don't be ridiculous. You have fabulous coloring. Just the other day at the club, Joyce Sims said she'd love to have your coloring."

"Oh, well if _Joyce _said it, that makes all the difference." Alice rolled her eyes.

Alice's mother narrowed her eyes at Alice. "Is something going on with you? Why are you being so difficult all of a sudden?"

"Yes! Yes, something is going on with me!" Alice said as if her mother was oblivious. "My life is falling apart. My closest friend is-"

"Theatrics, Alice? Really, it is beneath you," her mother dismissed. "Whatever this little tiff you've had with Rosalie or Jasper or … whomever…I'm sure it's just trite high school shenanigans that won't amount to much. And change that shirt. It's putrid."

Alice stared, slack-jawed, after her mother as she exited the kitchen. Quickly she recovered and shook her head at her mother's ignorance. Just the other day Alice had seen a talk show about mothers who longed for their daughters to open up to them and talk. How ironic that Alice had attempted to do that very thing and her own mother had disregarded her like a day old newspaper.

With a defiant straightening of her "putrid" top, Alice grabbed her keys and her father's gas card and headed out the door.

At school, Alice got a lot of practice perfecting her avoidance skills. Jasper pounced on her the minute she set foot on the school's turf.

"You always blow of the squad. Why can't you today?" he wanted to know.

"Because it's Jamboree. And I told you, until I can think of another socially acceptable way to keep my mother paying for my car and gas, I have to keep cheering. And if I blow off Jamboree, I'm off the squad for next year." Alice explained.

"Next year? You said this was your last year." Jasper complained.

"I said this was my last year _if_ I could find something else my mom was excited enough about to –"

"I know, I know, the car." Jasper sighed.

And where Jasper left off, Rosalie started up.

"I've endured this cheerleader phase long enough. It's time to move on," Rosalie insisted when Alice had declined her invitation to a club they probably wouldn't be able to get into anyway.

"It's not a phase. It's a means to an end." Alice remarked without further explanation.

"Okay," Rosalie sighed. "I'm going to ask you one more time: Are you mad at me or something?"

Alice rolled her eyes. "You're not going to ask me _one more time_. Because you've been asking me this same damn question for the past three days. For the last time, no, I'm not mad." Alice lied.

She was very mad. However, the only reason she hid her anger from her friend was because she didn't know _why_ she was mad. Rosalie pulled pranks all the time – way worse than what she did to Bella and Edward. Alice had never cared before. And Alice didn't even like Edward. Not even a little bit. So it wouldn't make sense that she'd care about his humiliation.

But if it wasn't Edward, and it wasn't, Alice wondered what it was about the situation that bugged her so much. And until she knew, there was no use in letting Rosalie in on her disappointment. Or Jasper. Jasper would demand action because he _did _care about Edward.

So Alice continued to practice her avoidance policy.

********

Esme was putting groceries away in the kitchen when Edward and Bella walked through his front door after school. Edward had one foot on the stairs when Esme cleared her throat and called out to them.

"Why don't you two study in the dining room today?" she suggested.

"Why?" Edward turned to face her. He and Bella had long ago abandoned studying outside of his bedroom.

"I'd like to see your progress," Esme said as if that was reason. But Edward knew the truth.

"Sure," Bella said quickly.

_Why so anxious?_ Edward's eyes shifted to Bella as she headed towards the expansive room occasionally used for Cullen family dinners.

Bella had her books out and was seated before Edward even made it to the table. When he looked at her she was eyeing him carefully. He noticed a look of perplexed terror on her face.

"Do you think she heard about the video?" Bella whispered.

Edward laughed out loud and shook his head as he took a seat next to Bella. "No," he said, looking over his shoulder before he continued. "She found a condom in my laundry."

"Oh." Bella looked back at her books.

"You're blushing," Edward observed.

Bella washed her hand over her cheek, as if that one move would wipe away nature's mark.

"When?" she quietly asked.

"When what?"

"When did she find it?"

Edward heard the insecurity behind Bella's inquiry. She wasn't sure if the condom had been meant for her or someone else. He hated that she wasn't sure.

"It was from the other day…when we cut class and came here," Edward put her out of her misery.

"Oh." Bella waited a moment before speaking again. "Did she ask you about it? About us?"

Edward shook his head. The conversation was beginning to make him uncomfortable. It was one thing to listen to how he made her feel, or to watch her facial expressions as he played with her body, but it was another thing entirely to discuss themselves in a premeditated manner. A planning session before sex just seemed like something married people did.

Bella dropped the line of questioning and they went back to the assignment for their literature class.

"This is kind of a morbid assignment," Bella said suddenly. "Why would I want to write my own eulogy?"

"Why would I want to write _anything?_" Edward asked, equally disinterested.

"Maybe I should write yours and you should write mine." Bella suggested.

"Maybe you should write both of them." Edward hinted.

"You don't need me to do your homework, Edward," Bella's comment lacked a condescending tone. "But what would you like someone to say about you at your funeral if you had any control over it?"

Edward thought for less than a minute. "Here lies Edward. He didn't give a shit then and he doesn't give a shit now."

Bella looked down and twiddled with the pencil between her fingers. "I see." She smiled.

"Why? What would you say?" Edward asked in return.

"I don't know…Bella was here?"

"Lame." Edward rolled his eyes.

"Yeah," she agreed. "I've never even been to a funeral so I can't even associate this with a personal experience."

"They're pretty much the same as you see on TV." Edward shrugged.

"Whose funeral have you been to?" Bella asked.

"My brother's." Edward said as if he were discussing that night's dinner menu.

"You have a brother?" Bella asked incredulously.

"Had," Edward shrugged.

Bella moved closer to Edward and put her hand on his knee. "Was he older…or younger than you?"

"Older. I was eight when he died. He was twelve."

"What was his name?"

"James. He had leukemia."

Edward focused on Bella's fingers as she absentmindedly rubbed them up and down his leg. He wondered if she was getting as uncomfortable as he was. He never talked about James. Ever. Not to Carlisle, not to Esme, not even to the plethora of social workers that had tried to get him to "express his grief" when James had met his demise.

His silence had nothing to do with how torn up he was about his brother's death and more to do with the fact that he didn't feel what everyone seemed to think he should feel. He actually felt nothing. He barely remembered any interaction with James. They were together in a group home, but then got separated because of James' medical needs. For awhile, his social worker at the time had made sure Edward had weekly visits with James. But when his immune system was compromised, Edward's visits were discontinued. By the time James died, he had become another passing face in the revolving door that was Edward's life.

So Edward resented all the attempts to make him feel something he didn't feel. It was just another reminder that there was something about him that set him apart from the rest of the population; another disorder to add to his repertoire: emotionally deficient.

"I take it back. I have been to a funeral." Bella stopped the motion of her hand suddenly. And broke through Edward's silent assessment. "It was my grandfather's. And all these people kept coming up to me and telling me how sorry they were. I kept wondering why they were sorry."

"Yeah. I never get that." Edward said.

"My mom pulled me up to the front to like…view the body. It gave me nightmares for weeks." Bella shuddered. "It was like looking at a wax statue. I felt nothing. I didn't even know the guy, ya know?"

Edward looked over to find Bella looking at him expectantly, like she wanted him to validate her feelings of numbness. How ironic.

"Yeah," Edward said.

And just like that, she'd shortened the void that made them seem worlds apart. Without even knowing it, she'd made him feel whole. Again.

********

The Swan home had suffered neglect since Bella had been spending so much time with Edward. The obvious needs were attended to: dishes, laundry and the bathroom toilet, but anything that required more detail like dusting, scouring and vacuuming, fell by the wayside. Bella knew it was time to get to work with Charlie had made a comment about it the night before.

As Bella ran a feather duster across a stack of CDs on the stereo shelf, a Clash import CD caught her eye and she wondered if it was the one Alice had been talking about the night of her and Jasper's party. She slid it out of its space and carried it up to her room to put in her backpack before she forgot.

The thought of the party landed Bella's mind on that horrible video. She and Edward hadn't spoken of it again, and when she'd ventured online to see if it still remained, it didn't. Whoever had posted it seemed to have lost interest because it had yet to be reposted after its last removal.

Not that Bella missed it. A handful of people knew that video was real, four of them Bella could name – a fifth one she could not: the videographer. And that's only if there was only one of them. Bella had no idea.

But what Bella was clear on was that Edward did not want to discuss it. She'd asked him who he thought had done it and he'd just shrugged his shoulders and changed the subject. She'd figured he was just as embarrassed as she was and didn't broach the topic again. And apart from Edward, there wasn't really anyone else for her to talk about it with.

And then the sex attempts had begun and overshadowed any and all discussion of the video.

Edward wanted to have sex. With her. Badly.

After the attempt he'd made the day they'd skipped school, he'd attempted again a few days later, but more subtly. Instead of overtly asking, he simply worked Bella up to a point where she wanted it almost as badly as he did. But she'd held firm that day…and the next. Each time he complained about blue balls or some other kind of pain, Bella had eagerly given him a blowjob or a hand job to get him through.

But he sensed her eagerness. And that made matters worse.

Try as she might, Bella couldn't bring herself to have the correct reaction to Edward's advances. Logically, she knew she should not even consider having sex with Edward. It was too soon into their relationship and there was still a lot to learn about each other. For instance, Edward's admission about having had a brother left Bella feeling like she didn't know him at all. A deceased sibling is the kind of thing one should know about before sleeping with someone…isn't it?

Logically, yes.

However, logic rarely ruled her emotions when it came to Edward. She _wanted_ him. And he knew it. Thus it was becoming more and more of a struggle to resist, even though Edward was emitting less and less of an effort.

A casual stroke of Edward's finger across Bella's cheek used to make her long to be wrapped in his arms. Now it made her long to wrap her legs around him. Any touch below the waist that previously warmed her, now made her tremble and a whisper…_his whispers_! They made her want to disrobe immediately.

But as far as Edward was concerned, Bella had just begun taking birth control – which required at least a month of use before they were effective. Ignoring the guilt of lying to him to buy herself time, Bella vowed to use the time to decide if she would be giving in to love or lust.

********

Jasper was getting irritated that Edward wouldn't call him back. What was he doing anyway?_ Probably Bella._

On his third attempt, Edward finally, FINALLY, answered.

"Man, where the fuck have you been?" Jasper asked.

"Here," Edward answered flatly. "Why?"

"I've called you like fifty times."

"My phone says you only called three times."

"Well if you knew that, why didn't you call me back?"

"What the hell do you want, Jasper?"

"Dude, I have a problem."

"If this is about Alice I'm hanging up now."

"She's cheating on me."

Edward paused. "Are you serious?"

"I think so. She's being really weird and she keeps making up all these shitty reasons of why she can't hang out."

"So. Maybe she's just on the rag or something."

"Nah. That never makes a difference." Jasper ran his fingers through his hair, the anxiety in his voice apparent. It was probably for that reason that Edward didn't give him a hard time.

"Well come pick me up. We'll go trolling and if we find them we'll beat his ass."

Though Jasper appreciated the gesture, he knew he wasn't to that point yet.

"Do you think she'd do that?"

Edward groaned. Heart to heart conversations weren't his thing. "Man, I don't know. Alice and I aren't really…friends. But she seems like the type who'd let you go if she wasn't interested. So…I don't think she'd stray…but I don't really know."

"Yeah."

"Sorry man."

And Jasper hung up the phone, feeling no better than he did before he'd called.

********

Alice was hiding out in Mrs. Kenner's history class when Bella walked up to her and handed her a CD.

"What's this?" Alice asked.

"The Clash. You said you liked them that night of Jasper's party." Bella reminded her.

"Oh. Yeah." Alice remembered.

"My dad had this import and I was wondering if this was the one you were talking about."

Alice accepted the CD and turned it over in her hand. "I haven't seen this before," she said. "Can I copy it and give it back to you?"

"Sure," Bella agreed.

Alice pulled out the chair next to her and Bella took a seat.

Rosalie didn't show up and for the first time in five days, Alice felt herself relax.

Alice noticed that Bella was a woman of few words. She said so much by saying so little. As days progressed, they took to walking together between classes and Alice stopped caring about the calloused glances she was receiving from Rosalie.

Bella was an easy friend. She didn't define Alice, but instead let her be who she was. Eventually, Jasper and Edward stepped back to allow the budding friendship some breathing room and with Bella in the picture, Jasper stopped droning on about how little time Alice spent with him. Instead, he seemed genuinely happy that she'd found a new friend in Bella.

Alice couldn't help notice the stark contrast between Bella and Rosalie. While Rosalie's friendship required a sense of possession, Bella never intruded into any territory she wasn't explicitly invited. Where Rosalie had expectations of Alice's behavior, Bella never judged. And perhaps the biggest, and Alice's favorite difference: Bella rarely talked about Edward.

But Alice was quickly coming to realize that she couldn't avoid her issues with Rosalie, and inadvertently, with Jasper, forever. She would have to face the music soon. And besides, she was starting to miss Jasper fiercely and the look in his eyes when she pulled away from him was starting to make her heart ache. But Alice could not keep a secret from Jasper. It was impossible. So until she knew how she was going to deal with Rosalie, she kept Jasper at arms length.

"I need a break," Alice confided in Bella after turning down an after school "homework" session with Jasper for the second time that week.

"I have a free period. Wanna go down to that new music store?" Bella suggested.

"Oooh, yeah," Alice immediately agreed. "And I need coffee. I'm in desperate need of caffeine."

Since it was the middle of the afternoon, the parking lot of Gathering Grounds was near empty and Alice quickly ordered a mocha while Bella waited for her outside. Alice quickly downed the beverage before trailing into the music store next door.

The new inventory smelled decadent and Bella and Alice found themselves getting excited over the large selection.

"There hasn't been anything this cool in Forks since I was a kid and McDonald's put in a playground." Alice said.

Bella giggled as she fingered through a selection titled "Women of Folk". When Alice peered over her shoulder, Bella confided that it reminded her of her mother.

"So your parents are divorced?" Alice asked.

Bella nodded. "And before you start to feel too sorry for me, I don't even remember what it was like to have them married."

"Sometimes I wish my parents would get divorced." Alice admitted. "I think they'd be easier to take in separate doses."

Bella laughed. "You don't mean that."

"No. Probably not." Alice smiled.

Alice walked over to the country rock section and looked for Jasper's favorite band. She wanted to get him something to let him know that he was on her mind. She considered sending him a text message stating as much, but before she could decide, she was interrupted by a profanity uttered in her direction.

"You fucking bitch!"

Alice looked into the venomous eyes of Rosalie Hale.

"You said you had a cheer meeting after school." Rosalie hissed.

"I bailed." Alice shrugged.

"And you couldn't have called me? I thought we were going to Port Angeles." Rosalie crossed her arms over her chest.

Alice looked around to see where Bella was. It was her intention to signal her to stay away with her eyes. Rosalie noticed Alice's gaze.

"Oh…I see you two are bosom buddies now."

"We're friends." Alice stated. "I don't know what the big deal is."

"You do know what the big deal is."

Alice rolled her eyes. "Rosalie, you have friends that I don't like all the time. Namely, Jessica. I've told you a million times that girl makes my brain bleed, yet you still bring her around."

"This is different and you know it," Rosalie looked genuinely hurt.

Alice closed her eyes as she heaved a heavy sigh. "Rosalie…I don't…I just…Bella is a _good _person and she doesn't deserve…I just need a little break…"

"You're breaking up with me?" Rosalie laughed at the double meaning.

"No. C'mon. You know I'll always be there for you-" Alice began.

"No, I don't know that because you aren't there for me now. You're here. With her. She's my enemy, Alice, and as my friend, she's supposed to be your enemy, too."

"I didn't know fourth grade rules were still in effect."

Rosalie's eyes narrowed at Alice's retort. "Does she know?"

"Does she know what?" Alice asked in irritation.

"Does she know that you know?"

Alice's brief silence brought a menacing grin to Rosalie's lips. "So she _doesn't_ know."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I wonder how she'd feel if she found out you've been holding out on her." Rosalie looked over at Bella, who was watching the exchange from a few aisles over.

"Bella," Rosalie called. "Bella, come here for a minute."

Bella looked at Alice to see what was going on, but Alice looked away. Slowly Bella walked over to them.

"What's going on?" Bella asked, eyes on Alice.

"Bella, we were wondering if you could solve an issue for us," Rosalie began.

"Bella, don't…let's just go," Alice attempted to push past Rosalie, but Rosalie grabbed Alice and held her still.

"Hey, get your hands off her!" Bella yelled at Rosalie.

Rosalie turned on Bella immediately, stepping away from Alice and getting less than an inch away from Bella's face.

"You wanna start with me?" Rosalie asked. "I dare you, bitch."

"Excuse me," a small gentleman with red hair and a clipboard appeared from behind the counter. "If you ladies can't keep it down, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

When Rosalie stood motionless, Alice grabbed onto the back of Bella's shirt and moved the two girls apart.

"Come on, Bella. Let's get out of here." Alice said.

For one moment Alice thought that maybe she'd make a clean getaway. Rosalie would be so angry that she'd be paralyzed in an enraged stupor long enough for Alice and Bella to get into her car and drive away. She should have known better.

Rosalie walked out of the store seconds after they did.

"Ask her about the video, Bella." Rosalie said. "Ask her who took it."

Bella stopped walking and turned around to face Rosalie.

"Just ignore her, Bella." Alice urged.

But Rosalie knew she had Bella's attention because Bella was stock still, in the middle of the sidewalk, looking between Alice and Rosalie like a deer in headlights.

"Alice," Bella turned slowly. "What is she talking about?"

"Nothing," Alice shook it off.

"I'm just wondering if you'd care if Alice knew who took that video and didn't tell you." Rosalie said.

Bella's eyes locked on Alice. "You know who did it?"

"I suspected." Alice said.

"You knew." Rosalie contested.

"Who did it?" Bella asked. Her question was low and forced, like she knew not asking would make her the bigger person. But she wasn't the bigger person.

"I did."

Bella's head snapped quickly towards Rosalie just in time to see the smug look on her face.

"Yeah, you heard me. I took that fuckin' video." Rosalie said. And then she laughed.

It all happened so fast. One minute Alice was willing Bella to walk quickly to the car and escape Rosalie and the next minute, Rosalie was admitting to recording the video and laughing and then Bella rushed towards her…

It was a horrible place to be – between two friends. But there Alice stood, with her arms stretched wide, between Rosalie and Bella.

"I wish you would, bitch," Rosalie taunted Bella.

"Alice, move," Bella commanded.

"Yeah, Alice. Move." Rosalie continued. "Let your friend, who's too dumb to know I did her a favor, step up and get her ass kicked."

And then Rosalie stopped talking to Bella through Alice and directed her words straight at the girl who looked like she wanted nothing more than to murder Rosalie where she stood.

"You should be happy I took that video," Rosalie said. "Now Edward can't do to you what he did to me."

"Rosalie, stop," Alice said sternly.

"No. She should know." Rosalie looked at Bella. "How do you think I knew where he'd take you, Bella? You think it was a coincidence?"

"If you're insinuating that Edward put you up to this –"

Rosalie howled in laughter, stopping Bella's line of reasoning. "Of course not. Edward wouldn't want something like this out there – then he couldn't deny it. Which is what he always does. He fucks you and then throws you away like yesterday's garbage. And then he acts like nothing ever happened. He makes you think you're crazy by convincing you that you've created this delusion in your head. He did it to me and he'll do it to you. Edward Cullen won't fuckin' change."

"You're sick," Bella spat out. "What kind of twisted pervert hides in the closet and records people…and then lies about it?"

"I'm not lying."

"You are lying. He didn't fuck you. He told me he didn't." But even as Bella said the words, they didn't ring true.

"Of course he told you that." Rosalie rolled her now watery eyes.

Alice's stance in front of Rosalie became less of a defensive one and more of a protective one as she took in the seething anger that was emanating from Bella.

"Bella," Alice reached up and placed a hand on Bella's shoulder in an effort to be soothing. "Let's just get out of here."

Bella looked over at Rosalie and saw that her expression was no longer smug. Instead she had a patronizing air about her as she gloated in her disclosure. Bella flinched, as if she were going to hit Rosalie, but shook off Alice instead.

"Alice, is it true?" Bella's voice was so quiet.

Alice didn't bother to look up. She just stared silently at the sidewalk and nodded slowly.

And then Bella reached right over the top of Alice's head and punched Rosalie with such force that it landed her on the sidewalk.

"You take up your Edward-issues with Edward and leave me the fuck out of it." Bella cursed. She walked away without looking at the scene she'd left behind.

Yeah, it was a horrible place to be – between two friends.

* * *

So if you haven't already figured it out, the video itself wasn't the main issue. Just a catalyst. Thanks for reading.


	21. Chapter 21

**The Tutor**

**Chapter 21 – Crash & Burn**

"Let me get this straight…" Jasper paced back and forth as Alice sat on the couch before him, watching his over-dramatized movements. "You've been ditching me all week because you didn't want to tell me something that had nothing to do with me…or you…or us? Have I got that right?"

"Jasper, I just couldn't – "

"Answer the question, Alice. Because I just want to make sure I understand before –"

"Before what? Before you start yelling at me? Before you break up with me?" Alice pouted.

Jasper took in the distressed look on Alice's face and plopped down next to her on the couch, causing Alice's small body to bounce.

"Hey, why'd you have to go there and ruin all my fun," Jasper said as he put his arm around her. "You gave me the runaround for days. The least you could do is let me give you hell about it."

"I didn't know what to do," Alice turned the sad eyes on her boyfriend. "Now that it's all said and done, I can see how I could have handled things much differently, but while it was happening…I just knew you would have wanted to tell Edward and then Rosalie would have been so pissed at me… and then Bella…"

"You really like her, don't you?"

"I _do._" Alice seemed saddened by that fact. "And now she probably hates me."

Jasper shook his head. "I'm sure she doesn't hate you. She knows it's not your fault."

"Yeah, but I _knew_ and I didn't tell her. If I were her, I'd be mad. I'd feel like the biggest fool if my friends knew something about my boyfriend that I didn't know."

"It wasn't really your place to tell her."

"So if Bella cheated on Edward, and you knew, you wouldn't tell him?"

"That's different."

"How?"

"Because first of all, Edward didn't cheat on Bella. And second, Edward is my best friend. I've known him a lot longer than you've known Bella. It would be expected."

"So you're saying I should have kept Rosalie's secret because I've known her longer."

"I didn't say that." Jasper shook his head. "Rosalie's a hag and Bella should have done more than punch her in the face for her little fatal attraction stunt."

"I still think I should have told Bella. Even though I've known Rosalie forever…what she did was evil."

"Yeah. Besides, no one did anything _to_ Rosalie."

"But what Edward did to Rosalie was –"

"Don't try to blame this on Edward. He's not responsible for Rosalie going psycho."

Alice shrugged, already growing tired of talking about the situation. "Are you going to tell Edward?"

"Hell yes I'm going to tell Edward."

*********

Bella crossed and uncrossed her legs as she sat at the public library looking over a book that she'd already read twice.

When she'd told her father that she was going to the library, he'd smiled and told her that she hadn't gone in awhile and he was glad she was going back. Bella immediately heard what he wasn't saying. Ever since she'd started spending more time with Edward, the little things that she used to do were falling by the wayside.

Bella hated her father's assumption that she was losing who she was for Edward. She preferred to think of it as layering her interests. When on her own, she preferred to read or write. However, being with Edward trumped both of those interests, as she'd rather engage in activities that required two people instead of one…at least where Edward was concerned. And it wasn't just the physical aspects of their relationship that Bella enjoyed. _Learning_ about Edward had quickly become her favorite pastime.

But it was all a moot point anyway. Because despite her father's reasoning, Bella knew the real reason for her afternoon rendezvous to the library: it was impossible for her to receive or deliver a telephone call to Edward, whether she wanted to or not. And it really bothered Bella that she didn't know if she wanted to talk to Edward or not.

********

Carlisle sat at a red light, tapping his foot like an impatient teenager. He was finally getting home from the hospital early enough to take Edward out driving in the car that had recently been purchased for him. Though Edward didn't say much with words, Carlisle saw the way he looked at the car…the way he slid his hands across the smooth paint – with such reverence.

And Carlisle found Edward in that exact position: outside with his car, when he pulled into his circular driveway.

"Feel like going for a drive?" Carlisle asked as he approached Edward.

Edward seemed to hesitate for a moment as he paused to look down at his cellular phone. "Uh…yeah. Sure."

However, Edward's mood changed considerably once he got behind the wheel of his gem.

"Handles nicely, doesn't she?" Carlisle said of the vehicle.

"Yeah," Edward answered, his eyes on the road.

"So, how's school going?" Carlisle attempted small talk.

"Good." Edward put on the turn signal as he changed lanes.

"That's good. Real good," Carlisle nodded, taking in Edward's quietness. He decided not to push him and let the conversation drop, only speaking when the situation necessitated it.

"Where are we going?" Edward asked after a little while.

"We're just driving. No place in particular." Carlisle returned with a smile. "You want to get your driving hours in don't you?"

"I already know how to drive," Edward said in a flat tone.

"Well good. Then you should pass your practical the first time out," Carlisle said. His eyes lingered over Edward, silently willing the young man to release his obvious tension.

They drove around Forks, taking in the moss-covered trees and the buildings that looked liked they'd suffered one too many downpours. A few of the local merchants recognized Carlisle, and he waved to them as Edward silently meandered through the streets.

"Haven't heard from Bella…" Edward mumbled some minutes later.

Carlisle wasn't sure the words were meant for him, but he replied anyway. "Well, it's still early. Maybe she's just busy."

"She went somewhere with Alice." Edward added.

"Did you want to do a drive by? See if she's at home?"

Edward glanced over at Carlisle as if he'd sprouted a second head. "I just mentioned that I hadn't heard from her. I don't need to go running off to her house."

"OK," Carlisle held up his hands in mock surrender.

And twenty minutes later he pretended not to notice as Edward turned down Bella's street.

********

Charlie heard the muscle car engine long before he saw it, and the sight that registered before his eyes would have the father of any seventeen-year-old girl quaking in his boots. Edward Cullen behind the wheel of that Nova made even James Dean look like Mickey Mouse.

"Shit," Charlie muttered under his breath.

From his curbside position, Charlie secretly wondered how long it would take him to replace the trashcan lids and make it to his porch as if he'd never seen Edward. But then Carlisle Cullen stuck his head out the passenger side window and all was lost.

"Hello, Charlie. Haven't seen you around for awhile," Carlisle made light conversation.

Charlie moved into the road and offered his hand. "What can I say? Retirement has been good to me." Both men knew that Charlie's retirement was forced and didn't come easily.

"Been fishing lately?" Carlisle continued.

"You know it," Charlie put his hand on the roof of the car. "This is quite a beauty," he said as his eyes raked over the car. He bent down to get a good look at the driver. "This yours, Edward?"

"Yeah," Edward said. His eyes danced around a bit before they landed on Charlie's.

"You know how to work on one of these?" Charlie asked. It was his opinion that you shouldn't be allowed to drive a car if you didn't know how to fix it.

"I know how to do a tune up, change a tire, change the oil and clean a carburetor." Edward listed off. Even Carlisle looked impressed.

"Well," Carlisle looked around, "Should we say hello to Bella before we go?" His question, though aimed at Edward, was obviously for Charlie's benefit.

"You could, if she were here. She went to the library earlier." Charlie said. "Figured you'd know that, Edward." He couldn't pass up the jab.

"Oh, see! The library," Carlisle smiled at Edward. But Edward's expression hinted that something was wrong.

And then Bella drove up and confirmed it.

********

If she'd recognized the car as Edward's right away, she would have kept on driving. But she wasn't used to seeing him in it, and it wasn't until she saw her father standing in the street talking to Mr. Cullen that she realized, too late, that Edward was in the driver's seat. Seeing him reminded Bella that she'd turned off her phone, and when she turned it back on, she saw that she had three missed calls from Edward. Three. That was two more than she'd usually get.

Bella silenced her truck and sat in the driveway to regroup. She didn't want to cause a scene in front of the 'rents, but she didn't think she'd be able to act like nothing was going on with Edward.

A quick glance in the review mirror revealed Edward pulling his car up to the curb and parking. Bella knew she had little time as she jumped out of her truck, threw a wave in the general vicinity of all that testosterone, and began heading for her front door. Edward caught up to her on the porch.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were avoiding me," he said as he eyed her wearily.

"I'm not avoiding you," Bella said without looking at Edward. Immediately she hated the sound of her own voice. It sounded mousy and stale.

Edward was silent. Bella knew what he was doing. If he didn't speak, she would look at him. And if she looked at him, he'd give her that heart-winning smile and then she'd be done for.

And if it were a matter of an inappropriate joke, or an important event he'd forgotten, Bella probably wouldn't berate herself for giving in. But this was different. This was a betrayal of trust, and even though Edward hadn't told his side of the story yet, Bella knew that he'd lied to her. She'd known it even before she'd heard it from Rosalie and from Alice. She'd felt it in the moment the lie had left his lips. And still, she let herself be deceived. Because she was falling fast and hard for Edward Anthony Cullen.

"I got in a fight," Bella said, her eyes still appraising the ground.

"A fight? You?" Edward let out a deep laugh. "With who?"

"Rosalie." Bella looked up then – right into Edward's eyes. "Over you."

He looked her over, looking for obvious signs of a scuffle. When he didn't see any, all of his questions lie on his face.

"You got in a fight with Rosalie?" he asked in disbelief.

"Yep."

"Because of me?"

"Well…sorta." Bella didn't want to stroke his ego. "Over that video."

"What does Rosalie know about the video?"

"She took it."

"What?" Edward took a step back before letting loose on a long string of profanities. Charlie looked over in their direction and Edward lowered his voice. "That bitch! I'm going to –"

"She said she was doing me a favor. Said she knew from first hand experience that you took girls up Jasper's room for sex and then denied being with them."

"And did you fuckin' tell her that we didn't have sex?"

"I don't think that's the point, Edward."

Edward evaluated Bella, and in doing so, narrowed his eyes accusingly at her. "You don't think I had something to do with this, do you?"

"Not directly."

"Not directly? What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"Stop swearing at me."

"Well get off your damn high horse and quit acting like I fucking did something to you."

"You did do something to me." Bella steeled herself. "You lied to me."

"I didn't fuckin' lie to you."

"You said you didn't have sex with Rosalie."

"So."

"So you lied."

What transpired next truly scared the hell out of Bella. Edward's face morphed into one of fury, and then, right before her eyes, he transformed into someone else entirely. His eyes hardened, his face went rigid and he looked at her like he didn't even know who she was.

"This is some fucked up shit, Bella, you know that?" he spat out.

"Tell me I'm wrong, Edward." Bella said, already beginning to second-guess herself.

"I shouldn't have to," Edward began backing away.

"No, what you shouldn't have to do is lie to me. It wouldn't matter if I'd heard it from you." Bella told him.

"That's a bunch of bullshit, and you know it." Edward said. "You're just scared. Admit it."

"Scared of what? That you're going to do the same thing to me? Yes, I am. Scared that you don't really care about me and all you want is sex? Yeah. And scared that you don't care about me as much as I care about you? Hell yeah, I'm scared." Bella came clean. "But mostly I'm scared that I can't trust you. So I just want you to tell me the truth."

"Fine. I fucked her. Now, you wanna go to a movie?" Edward asked sarcastically.

Bella looked at him in awe-inspired fury. Did he not realize that she'd just opened her heart to him and he'd made a mockery of it?

"See," Edward pointed at her. "You don't just want the truth. What you want is an excuse."

"An excuse for what?" Bella didn't understand.

"Well you know what?" Edward continued as if she hadn't spoken, "Fuck you! I'm done. Don't talk to me, don't call me…don't even fuckin' look at me!" Edward fumed as he walked away. He turned around and flipped her off with both hands.

But Bella had already gone into her house and shut the door, distancing herself from Edward and his tirade.

********

Carlisle tried to maintain his casual banter with Charlie as Edward and Bella stood on the porch talking, but he could tell by Edward's body language that the discussion was getting heated. Carlisle attempted to wrap things up, but his efforts were futile. Edward was too loud and Charlie turned around just as Edward flipped the bird to an empty porch.

"Fuck!" Edward yelled as he stomped towards the vehicle.

"Hey!" Charlie yelled, taking in Edward's language. "You'd better not be talking to my daughter like that."

Edward reeled around and faced Charlie – an animalistic stare in his eyes. Charlie looked him up and down before taking a step closer to Edward.

"I wish you would boy," Charlie said in a threatening whisper. "I will haul your ass off this property so quick you—"

"Edward," Carlisle stepped out of the car and held the passenger side door open for Edward. "Get in the car, Son."

Edward got in without a fight. Carlisle nodded an apology to Charlie before getting into the driver's seat and speeding off.

"Edward, I think you owe the Swan's a monumental apology." Carlisle said. "Just because you get angry, that doesn't give you the right to –"

"Just tell me, do you ever get tired of being wrong?" Edward lashed out at Carlisle. "Because you said to tell her and I fuckin' told her and now it's fuckin' over!"

Carlisle deliberated over whether or not he should tell Edward to watch his mouth. He lingered over the decision for too long and then the moment had passed. Teenagers really should come with an instruction manual.

********

Jasper sat in his living room, for a rare solitary moment and flipped through the television channels.

"Oooh, ooh, extreme sports. Turn that back," Emmett came into the room carrying an oversized salami sandwich. Jasper eyed the sandwich with disgust. "What? I'm carbo-loading."

Jasper rolled his eyes and flipped back to the sports channel before laying his head back against the back of the couch and closing his eyes.

"What's wrong with you?" Emmett asked.

"For once…nothing," Jasper looked over at his brother and grinned.

Emmett snorted. "That crazy girl of yours doesn't have you running all over the place?"

"_Alice_, is fine, but I'll tell her you asked about her." Jasper emphasized the name.

"Where is she? Doesn't she keep you on a pretty short leash?"

"It's not like that. And she's at some cheer thing. I didn't want to go."

"What you mean is she didn't want you to go."

"No…I meant I didn't want to go." Jasper opened his eyes. "She owes me some favors and I'm cashing in."

Emmett laughed then. "Why does she owe you?"

"It's a long story. Rosalie posted a sex tape of Edward online and Alice knew about it but didn't tell anyone…yada, yada, yada." Jasper waved the discussion away with boredom.

"Wait…Rose posted a sex tape of Edward online?" Emmett pressed the mute button on the television. "That girl is _ruthless!_ I love it."

"You wouldn't if you were Edward."

"Well whip that shit out. I've got to see this," Emmett stood up. "Wait, there isn't any footage of hairy balls or ass, is there? Because I want no part of that."

"You can't see anything. It was too dark." Jasper said. "Plus, I think it's disappeared. Alice deleted it from Rosalie's camera and Youtube took it down."

"Nah, that shit is out there somewhere," Emmett shook his head as his laughter lingered. "That Rose…man, she's a pistol."

"Don't say 'that Rose', like you know her. You don't. And frankly, you should be glad about that. She's fatal attraction."

"Those are the good ones," Emmett said as he got up and headed out of the room. "They're great in the sack."

"She's still in high school, bro."

"Whatever." Emmett ducked his head back in the room from the hallway. "Oh, and you're an idiot to use your girl's favors to get out of a little cheerleading gig. What a waste."

Funny. Jasper had just been thinking the same thing.

********

Alice had learned the error of her ways, as far as avoidance policies went. So she'd decided to try being mature and facing up to the consequences of her actions. So when she saw Bella, alone at her locker, bright and early on a Monday morning, she marched up to her, took a deep breath, and rattled off her rehearsed speech.

"I know what I did to you was unforgivable…well…not unforgivable, but…anger-worthy. And I know I should have told you but I had only just found out and I didn't know you that well and Rosalie has been my friend for a really long time and I just…I'm so sorry, Bella." Alice exhaled.

Bella nodded. "Let's just…forget about it, okay?"

"Really?" Alice was bewildered.

"Really." Bella said. Her eyes flashed around fleetingly and Alice assumed she was looking for Rosalie.

"She's not here." Alice said.

"Who?"

"Rosalie."

"Who cares?"

"Oh, yeah," Alice giggled. "I forget, you're not afraid of her."

"And you shouldn't be either."

"I'm not. I just…I know it doesn't seem like it, but she was…is…can be a really good friend. It wasn't always like this."

"Mmm." Bella didn't offer an opinion one way or the other.

"I don't suppose Rosalie will be gracing us with her presence anytime soon. She's trying to wait out Edward's temper. And we all know how that is." Alice laughed.

"So, did you do your history assignment?" Bella asked.

_Now who was practicing avoidance tactics?_

********

Carlisle's advice to his wife on how to handle Edward was to give him time and space. So, although she didn't question him on what had happened with Bella, she made it clear that she expected him to follow house rules, go to school and get his homework done.

And since no one was asking him to talk, giving him a hard time or requiring anything extra of him, Edward had no problem doing what he was told. He didn't go out on school nights, was his usual moody self and he adhered to a semi-normal hygiene routine.

And then Rosalie had confronted him at school. She came up behind him while he was at the smoking rock with Jasper.

"Edward?"

"Get the fuck away from me, Rosalie."

"Edward, I know you're pissed and…"

"I swear to god, I will hit a girl," Edward snubbed out his cigarette and turned to face her.

Jasper stepped in between the pair, unsure of what Edward would actually do. "Rose, just leave."

Rosalie eyed Jasper bitterly. "Don't call me Rose." She said as she turned and walked away.

"I could get arrested for what I want to do to her." Edward spat venomously.

"I must say…I was expecting more from you," Jasper goaded him. When he saw the death glare that Edward was giving him, he was quick to add, "It's just that Rosalie got exactly what she wanted: to break up you and Bella. That pisses me off."

As if Edward needed a reminder that his relationship with Bella had ended. Although someone might stand to remind her, not of the end of the relationship, but that one had actually began in the first place. Because Bella acted as if Edward didn't exist at all and the population of Forks High, with the exception of Jasper, was all too quick to embrace the act that it hadn't.

The semester ended and Edward began a whole new classroom rotation. On the first day, he was present to all of his classes, only to find that Bella wasn't in any of them. Edward then fell into the obscurity that he was used to: late mornings and forgotten homework.

And in that quiet obscurity, the fits of rage began.

The first time it had happened, Carlisle was at work and Esme was sitting in the kitchen helping Maddie with her homework. The house was eerily calm and the female Cullens were lured into a false sense of security.

When the fire alarm began to blare incessantly, Maddie started screaming and Esme ripped up the stairs toward Edward's room. At first she just wanted to make sure he was okay. But upon her arrival, she smelled the strong odor of smoke.

"Edward, what's going on in here?" She happened upon him just as he was trying to douse out the smoldering pages of the Washington State Driver's Manual.

"Just cleaning up," Edward answered as if one always burned garbage in the middle of one's bedroom.

"Are you burning something?" Esme asked him.

"Just paper. A little science experiment that went wrong."

"Edward, you could have burned the house down! What on earth has gotten into you?" Esme held her hand across her heart to quell its erratic beating.

"Nothing." Edward slipped by her and went outside with his garbage can.

Esme looked around for more damage but all she saw was little shards of burned paper that had wafted out of the metal garbage can Edward had been holding.

As soon as Carlisle had come home, he'd freed Edward of his lighter and promised him a visit to the hospital burn victim unit if he tried anything like this again. It was an elementary move on Carlisle's part, but Edward had made it seem like a bad decision that had gotten out of hand. And so Carlisle and Esme had let him off with a stern warning, despite their nagging feelings of doubt.

********

Bella marveled at the irony of how easy it was to find something when you weren't looking for it. Or in her case, someone. Edward was everywhere she didn't want him to be.

Unfortunately, that didn't include classes. Having him in a class would have been the safer choice, because they wouldn't have been allowed to talk and there would have been something else to focus her attention on. But walking in the halls, going out of the office when he was coming in, passing one another at the restrooms, in the parking lot…it was getting old fast.

The first few times it happened, Bella's heart broke all over again when Edward would look through her, or away from her like they'd never once had a conversation. Like he didn't know what she looked like beneath her shirt, beneath her pants. But then he started making snide comments to her, first under his breath, and then a little louder. And then Bella wished for the vacant looks and stranger stares.

"Hey, Bella. I saw that your dad dropped you off this morning," Alice was saying as the two girls met up before an art class they had together. "What happened to your truck?"

"It died," Bella said.

"Oh. Well I can give you a ride home after school. Unless your dad is coming…" Alice trailed off.

Bella noticed that Alice was continually casting stares over her shoulder and when she turned to see what she was looking at, she saw Jasper approaching, which Edward in tow.

_Surely he's not going to walk over here. He hates me._

But he did walk over there. Bella smelled the strong stench of cigarettes as he got close.

Bella tripped slightly as she shifted her weight nervously from one foot to the other, resulting in a barely-there wiggle of her hips.

"What's the matter, Swan? Bush growing back?" Edward quipped.

An awkward silence ensued.

"Well…I'll see you in class, Alice." Bella nodded towards her friend and ducked into the classroom before Edward decided to let loose any more vulgarities.

The classroom was nearly empty and Bella hurried to the seat near the wall that she usually occupied. Anger washed over her for the tears that begged to cascade down her face. She pressed her fists against her eyes in an effort to keep them at bay. When she felt she'd successfully halted the waterfall, she sat up and began pulling her art supplies out of her backpack.

It was then that she noticed Alice sitting next to her.

"I _hate_ Edward," Alice whispered.

Bella looked down as if she was going to ignore the statement, but after a few silent seconds, without looking up, she whispered back, "I wish I did."

********

"Will you guys just get back together already?" Jasper asked Edward as the two of them schlepped towards the parking lot, skipping their last class of the day.

"I don't want to get back together," Edward shook his head. "I don't go backwards."

Jasper laughed. "Oh yeah. I forgot about all your rules," he said with sarcasm.

"They're not rules. I'm just not a pussy. Once I make up my mind—"

"So I _am_ a pussy because Alice and I got back together?" Jasper asked in irritation.

"No, you're a pussy for a whole list of other reasons _and_ because you and Alice got back together." Edward laughed.

Jasper, however, did not. "You know what, Edward, I'm beginning to think that even you don't believe that bullshit you're peddling. And furthermore, all that stuff you call me a pussy for, well, I'd rather be all of those things _with_ Alice, than none of those things without her."

Edward again rolled his eyes, but he didn't offer anything verbally. He followed Jasper to the far edge of the parking lot, where Jasper had parked his car. Over cigarettes, they casually shared conversation about cars, music and what they'd do if they got kicked out of high school. It wasn't until Alice came knocking on Jasper's window that they realized school had ended for the day.

"I don't know how you two get away with skipping class to sit in the parking lot." Alice rolled her eyes.

"They know we're here," Jasper rolled his eyes. "Mr. Chambers is just too lazy to jog his fat ass out here and tell us to get to class."

Jasper laughed and looked over at Edward to get his reaction. He saw that Edward was watching Alice closely but wasn't speaking.

"So, I'm gonna head home. Wanna come by later? We can get pizza." Alice said to Jasper, as if they were speaking some kind of code.

"Sure. Are you taking Bella home?" Jasper asked. Edward fidgeted slightly and turned to look out the window. A tree across the lot suddenly had his attention.

"No. She's getting a ride with Mike Newton. She mentioned wanting to get an application from his parents' store and he said he'd run her by and then take her home." Alice answered. As if on reflex, Edward turned and looked at her and saw that Alice was staring directly at him with a smug expression on her face. Edward fought the urge to call her a bitch, since Jasper was there, and turned to look back out the window. He remained that way as Jasper drove him back to his house.

Edward wasn't sure if anyone was home but he didn't bother going inside his house once Jasper dropped him off. Instead, he went through the side door of the garage and headed for the side yard for a smoke. He'd discovered that it was one of the few areas of the property that wasn't visible from any position in the house.

Edward kept the back door of the garage open so that he could hear, in case anyone walked in. From his position against the wall, he could see his car. It sat there, in all of its polished splendor, mocking him and his inability to drive it.

_You're such an idiot. You have to ride bitch with your friends because you were too stupid to pass the driver's test on your own. Now Mike Newton is giving Bella rides because you can't. Pretty soon, she'll be "riding" him…_

Before he gave it another thought, Edward had picked up a stone from the rock garden and hurled it at his car. It shouldn't have felt as good as it did. So he hurled another one. And then he picked up a small boulder and, holding it between two hands, beat the hood of the car continuously – over and over he pounded against all of the frustrations of his day: Bella acting like he was invisible – _smash! _– Bella not hurting the way the way he was – _crash! _– Jasper acting so self-righteous because he had a girl and Edward didn't _– crack! _– Alice and her smug-ass looks – _thud! _– the realization that Rosalie had triumphed – _smack! _– and Mike-fucking-Newton driving Bella around. _His_ Bella. But she wasn't his anymore – _shatter _–_ ._

Suddenly strong hands pulled at Edward's shoulders and he let go of the large rock. It toppled across the car and thundered to the floor, but not before taking down a pair of skis and a garden rake.

Edward collapsed against the warm body, allowing himself to first be shaken and then enveloped.

"Edward," Carlisle's voice was stern and disappointed.

Edward pushed off of Carlisle quickly, as if he'd expected someone else to be holding him. He then noticed Esme in the corner, crying profusely. And then his eyes focused on his car and then Carlisle.

And for once, Carlisle was speechless.


	22. Chapter 22

**The Tutor**

**Chapter 22 – Look Who's Talking**

Esme gingerly walked to the back of the house and turned towards the west wing of her home. It had been a recent addition, and she could still smell the newness of the building materials.

"Can I come in?" she meekly poked her head inside the vast office.

Carlisle merely moved his eyes to focus on her. After a brief second, he waved her in.

Esme took a seat at one of the two chairs in front of his desk that he reserved for patient consultations. She waited tolerantly for him to finish up with the medical chart he was looking over. After a few moments it became obvious that he wasn't going to initiate a conversation.

"Maddie finally fell asleep. She was really upset." Esme said quietly.

"It's a hard thing for a child to see her mother cry." Carlisle spoke in a clipped tone.

He was angry. Esme took in the throbbing vein at his temple, the way his nostrils flared every few seconds and the way he avoided eye contact. She rarely got to see him like this, and though it didn't frighten her, she was anxious in his presence. Carlisle hated to get angry and he always felt like he was losing control when he did.

"Are we going to talk about this?" Esme broached the topic.

Carlisle shook his head. "I…I don't know what to say, Esme."

"We can't give up on him, Carlisle."

"It's not about giving up on him…" Carlisle grasped for words. "Hell, I don't know what to do with him. This…what he did…I don't know where to go from here."

"He's having a hard time right now and we have to –"

"No, Esme," Carlisle brought his hand down firmly on his desk. "You will not make excuses for Edward this time. We all have hard times. And yes, he may have had his unfair share, but he's had some really good times, too; better than most. We have done nothing but be there for him and he has been an absolute nightmare since the first day he set foot in this house!"

"Carlisle, lower your voice," Esme glanced nervously at the door. "He might hear you."

"And that would be a bad thing?" Carlisle asked. "Why shouldn't Edward know that he can't continue to take out the hand life dealt him on everyone else and expect to get away with it? What kind of parents would we be, Esme, if we cushion the blow for him all the time?"

"I understand that, Carlisle, but you're speaking as someone who was introduced to normal emotions in a healthy fashion. Edward does not know love and acceptance outside of sex and shallow friendship. He is a 'strike before stricken' kind of guy. We knew that going in, Carlisle. We need to be here for him. Now more than ever."

Carlisle was silent for too long, and when he looked up into his wife's eyes, she gasped at the lack of compassion she saw there.

"In the time that Edward has been with us, we have had absolutely no effect on him."

"Yes, we have."

"What? He occasionally goes to class? He doesn't smoke in the living room? He doesn't say the 'f –word' in front of Maddie? Esme, these are hardly things to celebrate."

"Carlisle, don't you remember what Edward was like when he came here? He lived out of that suitcase for months. He left no traces of himself in a room – like he was a visitor… He's a kid with no roots, Carlisle. It's hard for him to accept things because everything that's ever been given to him has been taken away."

"Yeah, well now he's doing that by his own hand. I bought him that car and look what he did to it!"

"I know," Esme wrung her hands with worry. She knew the car was going to be a sore subject with Carlisle for a long time.

"You know, the other day he asked me if I ever get tired of being wrong. And when it comes to him, yeah, I definitely do." Carlisle ran his hand over his chin, "I'm tired, Esme. I don't know if I have it in me to try with him anymore."

********

Alice scampered across her room in excitement as she sampled a few shirts from her wardrobe. A casual t-shirt and off-the-shoulder stretch knit were her final contenders as she prepared to go to the movies with Bella. The forty-five mile trek would give them time to bond and hopefully put the strain of the video fiasco far, far behind them.

Although Bella hadn't been chomping at the bit to go to a movie, Alice knew from firsthand experience that anyone fresh out of a relationship needed to fill time to keep their mind from racing back to what they'd had. Despite the fact that Alice felt that Edward was no catch, her heart ached for the pain she knew Bella was experiencing.

After getting dressed to her satisfaction, Alice called Bella to let her know she'd pick her up in an hour. That gave Alice enough time to pop over to Jasper's and give him a proper good-bye – a consolation for not spending the day with him.

Once Alice arrived at Jasper's, he quickly gave her appearance the once-over in speculation of how the boys of Port Angeles would react to his girlfriend.

"Can you untuck your shirt?" he asked.

"It's not tucked in." Alice told him.

"Well can you pull it down some in the back? I don't want guys checking out your ass."

"We'll be sitting in a dark movie theater. No one's going to be able to see anything." Alice said, though it warmed her heart that he was jealous for what was already, so obviously his.

With a full heart and a warm smile, Alice crossed the living room and sat affectionately upon Jasper's lap.

Jasper's hands ached to roam Alice's body, but she appeared to be in the mood to talk, so he indulged her.

"What are you going to do today?" Alice asked.

Jasper shrugged. "I don't know. I was gonna see if Edward wanted to do something, but his ass won't pick up the phone."

Alice rolled her eyes and made no apologies for her contempt of the subject. "How can you stand him? He's not even nice to you."

"Edward's nice in his own way," Jasper said contemplatively.

"And what did he do to Bella? Why'd they break up?" Alice wanted to know. Bella was pretty tight-lipped on the subject.

"He didn't say. Although by the way he's acting, I think it's probably safe to assume that she broke up with him, and not the other way around."

Alice looked celebratory at the statement. "I knew I liked Bella. She's bad-ass _and _smart."

Glancing down at her watch, Alice realized that she had to scoot off to Bella's house if they were going to be in time for the movie. Despite Jasper's groping protests, Alice kissed him good-bye and headed out the door. When her phone rang moments later, she laughed as she answered it, assuming it was just Jasper getting a few more complaints in.

"I promise, I'll come by your house as soon as I get back from the movies," Alice giggled.

"Um…okay?" the caller stated in confusion.

"Rosalie?" Alice asked.

"Yeah," Rosalie laughed. "Who did you think I was?"

"I thought you were Jasper."

"Oh." Rosalie paused. "So you're going to the movies. Okay. Well I was just calling to see if you wanted to go to the mall or something. But since you already have plans…"

"Yeah. Maybe another time," Alice rushed to end the phone call.

"When?" Rosalie asked.

"Huh?"

"When do you want to go to the mall?"

"Oh, I don't know. Call me later and we'll set something up."

"I have been calling you and you never call me back."

"You called me? When? I didn't get any messages."

"Alice, cut the crap. We both know you're avoiding me."

An immediate impulse was for Alice to assure Rosalie that she wasn't avoiding her. It was just that her phone hadn't been recording all of the messages; Jasper had complained about the same thing. And she was busy. So very busy.

But Alice knew what that lie would lead to: another lie. It would only delay the inevitable. So with the slow cycle of an inhale and an exhale, Alice climbed into her car and shut the door before continuing.

"You're right. I am avoiding you," she admitted.

"What the fuck, Alice?" Rosalie demanded.

"Rosalie, what you did…well it was pretty fucked up. And even if I didn't like Bella – "

"I knew that bitch had something to do with this."

"No, hear me out," Alice interjected. "Even if I didn't like Bella, what you did to her and Edward was unprovoked and that…well that kind of freaks me out."

"You know I would never do anything like that to you."

"Do I? Just a few weeks ago you were trying to convince me that you were in love with Edward. And look what you did to him."

"That's different and you know it. He-"

"He didn't do anything to you, Rosalie. He was very clear that he didn't want to be anything more than friends with you. You knew that even before you two hooked up. I was there the night he told you that, remember? You analyzed it from every angle for hours."

"Well, well, well. Look who's on the Edward bandwagon now. Are you fucking him, too?"

"I'm not even going to dignify that with a response."

"At least out of this whole mess I get to see who my true friends are."

"And what the hell do you know about being a true friend? I was a true friend to you, Rosalie, which is damn near impossible because you keep changing the rules all the time."

"A true friend doesn't bail just because someone does something they don't like."

"I'm not bailing on you, I'm just…taking a break. I don't even know how to act around you anymore. I love you, but I just need to work this out for myself right now. I told you, I need time. And if you can't give that to me…then we can just part ways right now, no hard feelings."

"Wow. Do I even really have a choice?"

"No. I guess not."

"Well, then…I guess that's that."

Alice was silent as she waited for Rosalie to define exactly what she meant. _Was she granting Alice the time, or wasn't she?_

"I'll call you soon." Alice said. When Rosalie offered no response, Alice hung up the phone and set off towards Bella's house.

********

The Cullen house was quiet. Edward had been in his room all morning, but it felt as if he'd been there for weeks. Hunger finally extracted him from his adolescent lair and he hastened towards the kitchen, hoping not to encounter his family as he went.

He could hear the distant banter of the television from his place in front of the refrigerator. SpongeBob. _Maddie must be watching Saturday morning cartoons in the family room._

Thinking about her reminded Edward how Maddie had reacted when Esme and Carlisle had walked in on him destroying his car. Before he'd ran out of the garage, Edward had seen the fear on Maddie's face as she cried inconsolably in the corner at Esme's feet. He could still hear her fretful wails. She was confused and fearful of what was to come. Edward knew that confusion and he lived with that fear.

Quietly, Edward peered around the corner into the family room. When he saw that no one but Maddie was present, he walked into the room and sat down next to her on the overstuffed sofa. He took in the blanket and pillows surrounding her before his eyes landed on a box of Kleenex.

"What's the matter? You sick?" Edward asked her.

Maddie nodded. "I have a cold." She turned her attention back to the television, laughed at the crazy antics of SpongeBob and his under sea friends, and then looked back over at Edward.

"Are you in trouble?" she asked him.

Edward didn't bother to patronize Maddie by asking her what she meant. He knew that she understood that what he'd done deserved punishment.

"I don't know yet," Edward answered honestly.

"How come you broke your car?" Maddie continued with her questions.

"I don't know. Just mad, I guess."

"Didn't you like it?"

"Yeah, I liked it. That had nothing to do with it." Edward realized how stupid he sounded.

Maddie shook her head. "I like my Barbie Dream House and I would never break it. Even if I was mad."

Edward laughed. "That's probably smart."

Maddie slowly scooted close to Edward before gaining enough confidence to crawl all the way into his lap.

"You made Mommy cry." She told him.

Edward simply looked at Maddie. Even the words of a seven-year-old stung him to hear. "I know."

"You should tell her you're sorry."

"I don't think sorry is big enough for this." Edward said. Edward leaned his head against the back of the sofa and closed his eyes. His arms hung loosely at his sides and even though Maddie squirmed all over his lap, he made no motion to embrace her, nor dislodge her.

"Is Bella coming over today?" Maddie asked.

Edward's eyes snapped open and he looked at his sister in annoyance. "No." He said flatly.

"Why not?"

Instead of answer, Edward grabbed the remote and turned up the volume on the television. "Just…watch TV." He mumbled.

********

Esme stood outside in the hall, listening to the sibling banter between her son and daughter. Her heart swelled at Maddie's elementary, yet spot on, equivalencies to Edward's behavior. Her heart broke at Edward's thirst for forgiveness. When the conversation went slack, Esme ventured a glance into the room and saw Maddie sitting on her big brother's lap; Edward had his eyes closed; his head reclined against the couch.

His position reminded her of something she'd read about Edward in his file when they were trying to adopt him. His social worker had said that he was uncomfortable with and non-accepting of personal touch. When someone would embrace him, he'd abruptly push them away or turn to stone until they let go.

Esme had never seen Edward hold Maddie before. And even though his arms weren't around her, he still allowed the touch. She considered getting Carlisle so that he could see the evidence of a change in Edward. But she hesitated, and the moment was over too soon. When Esme checked again, Maddie had gone back over to her corner of the sofa, and Edward's eyes were focused on Esme. There was a hollow emptiness to them that haunted Esme as she walked to the kitchen in search of her personal phonebook.

********

The movie was unbearable. It wasn't boring, it wasn't poorly written and the actors weren't terrible. But still, for Bella it was unbearable.

In the opening scene, a sexy and handsome man handed his co-worker his black jacket because she was cold. And it reminded Bella that she'd worn Edward's jacket. In a later scene, the same man had ranted about how text messaging was ruining our society's vernacular, and in protest, he refused to ever send one. It reminded Bella of the lame story Edward had made up of how he thought text messaging was for losers, and she'd pretended not to know that in reality, his literacy issues made him uncomfortable with sending them.

And then there was the sex scene.

Bella tried, with extensive effort, to keep her thoughts focused on the inconsequential objects on the screen: the size and type of the bed, the color of the sheets, the Monet painting on the wall, the mission style bedside table…

But all of her endeavors were futile. Her mind still raced to embrace thoughts of Edward. The way his fingers crawled across her skin. The way his eyes watched the way she enjoyed the things he did to her body. The way his tongue made her tremble and his lips that set her ablaze. And the raunchy things that he'd whisper in her ear that sounded so delectably sweet. When would she no longer miss that? How would she ever fill the Edward-sized void he'd left in her heart?

The emotions were overwhelming, and Bella was overcome by the need to distance herself from the stimuli of her hurt. She touched Alice lightly on the arm and mouthed that she was headed for the restroom. She barely had enough time to lock herself in a stall before the tears came.

"Damn it. I hate this!" she whispered fiercely to herself as she wiped at her tears in an attempt to deny them the satisfaction of running down her face.

She rested her head against the back of the door and thought fleetingly about how many times those before her had done the very same thing. The mental image wasn't enough to make her move. Instead, she closed her eyes and focused on her breathing, willing the thoughts of Edward to subside.

Bella had never considered herself to be the average teenaged girl as depicted on television. She didn't like to talk on the phone, she preferred sleeping in her own bed to any sleepover and the idea of shopping didn't thrill or excite her. In addition, "girl talk" never found its place with her. Which is one explanation of why Bella was currently at her breaking point.

She had been suppressing all of her emotions over what had transpired between her and Edward, and now they were bubbling over – demanding to get out at every reminder of him. And with each outburst, the feelings became more raw and harder to ignore.

When Bella felt normal and had done the best she could at disguising the fact that she'd been crying, she emerged from the restroom only to fine Alice waiting for her in the hall.

"There you are! I was just about to come in there after you." Alice eyed her suspiciously. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Bella sniffed. "Let's go." She headed back towards the theater.

"What are you doing? The movie ended like, five minutes ago." Alice stated.

"What? How long was I in there?" Bella looked down at her watch.

"Forever." Alice said. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah…I'm just really tired." Bella rubbed her eyes for effect.

Alice nodded in understanding. "We can skip the ice cream and head back if you want."

Bella felt slightly guilty for ending the evening so quickly. But ice cream reminded her of the time she'd bought groceries and her bags had exploded all over the sidewalk. Edward had been there to help her pick it up and she'd given him a ride home, but not before she took him to her house so she could put her ice cream away. And they'd shared that moment with the cigarette…

"Bella, are you _crying?_" Alice walked up to her quickly.

Bella wiped her eyes quickly. _What the hell? I am seriously losing my mind here._

"I…think I have PMS or something. I'm fine. Can we just go?"

"Sure."

Alice and Bella allowed themselves to be encased in silence as they drifted down the 101 highway towards home.

"Bella…we can talk about it…if you want." Alice offered.

Bella shook her head no before turning and looking out the window.

"I can't talk about it," she said quietly, "because I don't even know what words to use."

Alice stared straight ahead, as if she hadn't heard what Bella said.

"I cheated on Jasper once." She said quietly out of the blue.

Bella turned to look at her quickly. "What?" Maybe she hadn't heard her correctly.

"It was last year. After one of the football games one of the other cheerleaders had a party and I went because her brother was going to be there. He was in a local band and I had a little crush. I never thought I'd do anything with him besides stare at him all night." Alice paused to switch lanes.

"But he had Seattle Chronic and, oh my gosh, I've never been so high in my life. Anyway, we were listening to music and then we started messing around and then…yeah. Before I knew it, I'd cheated on Jasper; something I _never_ thought I'd do."

Bella was dumbfounded. "Does Jasper know?"

Alice scoffed at the question. "No offense, but I wouldn't tell you if I hadn't told him."

"What happened?"

"Well, I broke up with him and-"

"Wait, you broke up with Jasper? But you're the one who cheated."

"I know. But Jasper wanted to work through it. He was mad, but he wanted to work it out. And I felt way too guilty for that so I broke it off. I kept thinking that he'd get super mad eventually and I didn't want to get blindsided by his anger."

"Did he? Get mad, I mean."

"He was mad the entire time, but not enough to end it all. He kept telling me that, but I didn't believe him."

"So how long did it take for you guys to get back together?"

"We just got back together, actually."

"Really?"

"Yeah… We were friends and then we started being a little bit more, but every time Jasper tried to call me his girlfriend, I wouldn't let him. I just…didn't feel worthy of him. I still don't."

Bella twiddled her thumbs in her lap. "I don't know…" Bella trailed off as she shook her head.

"Go ahead and say it," Alice smiled. "I know what you're thinking: how could I cheat on Jasper if I was in love with him?"

Bella nodded sheepishly. "Do you think it was because you were high?"

"At first I blamed the fact that I was high, but if I'm being honest with myself, I made the decisions that got me there under no influence at all. I never should have gone to that party without Jasper in the first place. And to answer your question, I love Jasper with all my heart and I cheated on him. So…yeah. It happens."

The asphalt whizzed by like gray streaks of paint on a dreary canvas as Bella watched the scenery through the window. She thought about Alice's story and why Alice had shared such a self-deprecating story.

"Edward didn't really cheat on me," Bella offered, just in case Alice was equating the two situations.

"Oh, I know," Alice said quickly. "It's just that sometimes there's more than one outcome to a situation. You don't always have to cut someone out of your life forever if they make a mistake."

"I know." Bella sighed. But in reality, she didn't have any reference point for Alice's words, and she ended her outing with Alice more confused than when she'd begun.

********

Jasper opened the French doors that led to the back deck of the Cullen home. Just as Esme had told him, Edward was sitting in an Adirondack chair staring off into the horizon.

"Hey, man." Jasper greeted him.

Edward looked up in shock at the interruption. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Your mom called me. She thinks you need to hang out or something." Jasper said.

"That's what she said?"

"Well…no. But that's what she meant." Jasper shuffled his feet back and forth. "She said you've been doing really good at school and stuff…and she doesn't want to see you stop trying."

Edward went back to his silent inspection of the landscape and Jasper pulled up a chair and sat next to his friend. They were quiet for a long while and then Jasper spoke.

"Dude, what the hell happened to your car? Your dad was in the garage when I got here and, man, it's a mess!"

Edward shook his head, signaling that he didn't want to talk about it.

"Well, Emmett's friend owns a garage downtown if you want him to look at it. He's not cheap though."

"Hm." Edward mumbled. Again he was silent.

When Esme had called Jasper and asked him to come over and check on Edward, Jasper hadn't had the heart to tell her that there was probably nothing he could do to help Edward if it wasn't what Edward wanted.

By anyone else's standards, Edward and Jasper wouldn't be considered close at all. Edward's sarcastic and biting comments towards Jasper, and Jasper's unsolicited provocations, on the outside, would appear to negate a friendship between the two. But Jasper knew better. He knew that even though Edward rarely offered verbal confirmation, when Jasper spoke, he listened. And if there was ever someone who Jasper could call in the middle of the night, no questions asked, it would be Edward, albeit with some grumbling and A LOT of swearing.

So Jasper would be there for Edward now. Even though he had absolutely no idea how he was supposed to do that.

"What's going on, Edward?" Jasper asked. The tone of his voice hinted at no judgments and no joking around.

Edward shook his head again. "I fucked up." He ran his fingers through his hair in anguish.

Jasper leaned back against the chair and immediately went into fix-it mode. "We should call Emmett. I'm sure his friend can get you a good deal on the body work…maybe you could even work it off or something –"

"I wasn't talking about the car." Edward's eyes still focused on the distance.

"Oh." Jasper sat up in confusion before the realization of what Edward was really talking about hit him. Bella. "Oooh."

After another moment of stillness, Jasper stated the obvious. "Well fix it, dumbass."

"I can't."

"You honestly believe that?"

"Hell yeah I believe that. She won't even look at me." Edward paused to straighten up in his chair. "And even if I did want to talk to her, her dad won't let me within ten feet of her."

"Just because it's gonna take a little bit of work doesn't mean it's impossible." Jasper said.

Edward quirked an eyebrow in Jasper's direction. "Man, what the fuck do you know? I had to help you find your dick with Alice."

"And now it's my turn to return the favor – that whole student becomes teacher shit, ay, Grasshopper?"

Edward laughed. "No fuckin' way am I taking advice from you about girls. You'll have me wearing nail polish and ribbons and shit."

"Edward, I will admit that you know how to get a girl. It's true. But what you don't know how to do is _keep_ a girl."

"I can keep a girl if I want to. I just don't want to." Edward said.

"Okay, so you _don't_ want Bella? Sorry, I misunderstood. My bad."

"It's not that I don't want her, she's just not an option."

"Why?"

"I already told you why."

"Oh, right, too much work, not worth it…yada, yada, yada."

"I never said she wasn't worth it. And don't try that reverse psychology bullshit on me. It doesn't work."

"Whatever."

Jasper checked his watch. It was almost time for dinner and his mother was cooking corned beef, his favorite. He didn't want to miss out. He was about to shove off when Edward spoke.

"I'm not asking for your advice, and I'm not saying I'll listen to it, but if I was, what would you tell me to do…for Bella?" Edward asked, his eyes on the deck below them.

"The first thing I'd tell you to do is look at her." Jasper answered.

"Look at her? What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"It means when you walk past her, make eye contact. Don't sneer at her or give her the stink eye. Just…look at her."

"And why would I do that?"

"Because then you'll know when she's looking at you back. And you can tell a lot from a look."

Edward offered no further commentary, positive or negative. Instead, he returned to the state in which Jasper had found him: quiet and closed off.

"Well, I gotta go." Jasper stood up. Edward gave no indication that he'd heard him until Jasper was almost all the way through the patio door into the house.

"Jasper?"

"Tell Emmett I'm going to call him about his friend."

"Okay," Jasper paused, "And about the other…_friend_?"

"I have some things to do first…and then we'll talk about it."

Jasper smiled as he walked away, knowing that was the closest thing to an acceptance he was going to get from Edward Cullen.

********

When it came to cars, Emmett was immediately interested, so he wasted no time at all introducing Edward to his friend, Brian, who owned and operated a local body shop.

Brian turned out to be a middle-aged man who'd stumbled through Forks during a surfing vacation and never left. His ways of business were unorthodox at best, and Edward felt at ease with him immediately.

"A '73 Nova, huh?" Brian asked as he rubbed his chin. "What kind of damage we talkin'?"

"Uh…dents in the hood…and a cracked window." Edward said as he indicated on the photograph of he car he'd brought along.

"Paint?"

"Yeah, it'll need to be painted."

"This car is a beauty, though, Brian," Emmett quickly added. "A real showpiece."

"Showpiece, huh? How'd it get wrecked?" Brian eyed Edward with suspicion.

"Oh, you remember how rough high school kids are," Emmett jumped in. "Taking their aggressions out on people's shit…er stuff."

Brian raised his eyebrows at Edward, "Someone got pissed and did a number on your ride, eh?"

Edward gave a little nod. "Something like that."

"Girl?" Brian pressed.

Edward simply smiled, which seemed to satisfy Brian's curiosity enough to get him to drop his line of questioning.

"So…showpieces are expensive to restore, Edward. How much you got saved in that piggy bank of yours?" Brian asked.

Edward and Emmett exchanged glances.

"Well, here's the thing," Emmett to the rescue once again, "Craig told me once that you let him work in the shop to payoff some work he had done on his Camaro-"

"I'm not hiring right now." Brian cut Emmett off.

"You wouldn't have to pay me," Edward added quickly.

"It would be illegal for me not to pay you." Brian said, already losing interest on the conversation.

"Not if you took him on as an intern." Emmett said.

Brian looked over at Edward, as if seeing him for the first time. "Can you change a tire?"

"I can change tires, rotate tires, change the oil, clean a carburetor, change spark plugs, change a timing belt…" Edward listed off.

Brian looked marginally impressed. "How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

With a sigh of defeat, Brian nodded his head. "Okay, here's the deal. You work for me for one week, starting Monday, but leave the car at home. If, at the end of the week, I like your work, then we can work out a schedule on that car of yours. Got it?"

"Got it," Edward grinned – it was the first time he'd done that in years.

********

Edward stood in the doorway of the kitchen and watched as Esme moved swiftly between the oven and the countertop.

"Mom," he said softly.

Esme was startled at the sound of his voice and dropped a baking sheet she had been holding.

"Edward, you scared me," she told him with a smile.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

"Dinner's almost ready." She said, assuming that was what he wanted.

"Okay," he shuffled his feet but didn't move from his position. "Uh…I was wondering if Da-Carlisle…is he home?"

"Yes, honey. He worked from his home office today."

"Oh. Because I haven't seen him all day." Edward stared at Esme intensely as he made the statement. _Is he avoiding me?_

"He's been working really hard." Esme covered.

"Oh."

"Did you need to talk to him?"

"Can I?" Edward asked. His question was two-fold. _Am I important enough to walk into his office while he's working? Is he too angry with me to even let me in?_

"Honey, it's family first. You know that," Esme assured him. Edward detected a hint of subdued excitement on Esme's face. "Go on in. He's probably finishing up as it is."

Edward turned to leave but Esme called him back.

"Edward?"

"Yeah?"

"You know I love it when you call me Mom, right?"

Edward suppressed a smile and shrugged his shoulders.

"I love it when you call me Mom," Esme reiterated.

Edward dropped his eyes and nodded before scurrying out of the kitchen.

He paced the hall six times before he got up the courage to knock on Carlisle's office door.

"It's open." Carlisle called.

Edward opened the door and stood awkwardly just inside of it. Carlisle looked up at him, waiting for him to announce why he was there.

The stared blankly at one another for a long while before Edward heaved in indignation and backed up.

"Forget it," he mumbled and left.

He was still in the hallway when Carlisle called his name.

"Edward?"

"What?" Edward asked, still in the hallway.

"Was there something that you needed?" Carlisle asked in an even tone.

Edward reappeared in the doorway. "I came in here to ask you about something, but you're acting like you don't want to talk to me."

"What gave you that indication?"

"Uh, you weren't saying anything," Edward answered sarcastically.

"Well neither were you." Carlisle told him. When it looked like Edward was going to turn tail and run again, Carlisle gestured toward the chair in front of his desk. "Have a seat."

Edward sat down and again acted like he was summoned there, instead of coming of his own free will. Carlisle rubbed his temples before folding his hands in front of him and waiting Edward out.

"I need you to sign my work permit." Edward finally said. He slid a crumpled piece of paper across the desk.

Carlisle frowned. "Work permit?"

"Yeah. I got a job." Edward announced.

Carlisle shook his head. "When did this happen?"

"Today."

"And when did your mother or I give you permission to get a job?" Carlisle asked.

"I need your permission to get a job?" Edward laughed humorlessly. "Un-fricken-believable."

"Edward, school is your 'job' right now. You focus on your grades and your mother and I will provide for your resources while you're in school." Carlisle said.

"What about my car?" Edward asked.

Carlisle flinched at the mention of the car. "The car's gone." He said. "I said I'd buy your first car and you ruined it."

"And that's why I got a job. So I can fix it. I'm not even getting paid real money. I'm working off the body work."

Carlisle anger grew visible in that moment. "Why didn't you say that from the beginning, Edward?"

"What? I got a job. I need you to sign my work permit. What's the difference?"

"There's a huge difference between walking in here and acting like you make decisions independent of this family versus being accountable for your actions." Carlisle stood up. "You think being an unemotional wise guy makes you a man? It doesn't. Admitting you're wrong and facing the consequences makes you a man, Edward."

"What do you want from me?" Edward yelled. "I fucked up so I'm trying to fix it, and that's not good enough for you either!"

"First of all, watch your damn mouth." Carlisle told him. "And second, how about a little respect, Edward. I'd say I've earned it. Wouldn't you?"

Edward focused his attention on his hands that were in his lap. He had a hangnail on his right thumb. He picked at it as he formulated the words he had for Carlisle.

"I'm sorry about the car," he mumbled.

"Contrary to what you may be thinking, Edward, I'm more concerned about you than the car."

"I'm fine."

"Are you? Because most people don't ruin a car they can't even drive yet just because things don't go their way."

"I was mad."

"About what?"

Edward shrugged.

"Did you not like the car?"

"I like it. I love it."

"Yet you didn't think twice about destroying it."

"I just…snapped, okay?"

"No, Edward. Not okay. You're seventeen years old. You go to school. That's about it. What else is happening in your life that would cause you to snap?"

Edward fidgeted in his seat.

"Is it Bella?" Carlisle continued.

Still, Edward said nothing.

"Is she…pregnant?" Carlisle feared.

Edward laughed. "That's about as far opposite as you can get."

"You two broke up?"

Edward nodded.

"And I take it you weren't the initiator of the decision."

Edward shook his head.

"What happened?"

"You probably won't believe me, but she got mad about something that happened before we were even together."

"Didn't we have this conversation before? Is this about Bella wanting to know everything you've done in previous relationships?"

Edward scoffed at the term 'relationship' before nodding. "Yep."

"And you told her?" Carlisle's tone revealed that he thought doing so was a big mistake.

"No, I didn't tell her. She found out."

"Huh." Carlisle looked like he was thinking about something. "That just doesn't make any sense."

"Tell me about it."

"And you're sure that's what Bella's mad about?"

Edward was slow to answer. The lie was right on the tip of his tongue. All he had to do was say 'yes' and Carlisle would tell him how unreasonable Bella was being and then hopefully that guilty nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach would subside a little bit.

"Or maybe she's mad about…the way she found out?" Carlisle craned is neck to get a better look at Edward.

Edward's nod was hardly noticeable.

"Remember what I said about consequences, Edward." Carlisle facial expression was a mixture of empathy, understanding and amusement. "And speaking of consequences, you're grounded for a month."

"A month?" Edward started to protest but thought better of it.

"No phone, no television, no video games."

"What about work?"

Carlisle reached across his desk and inspected the work permit. "No more than three days per week and a passing grade in all of your classes. And you have to work with the literary specialist Esme hired for you."

Even though Carlisle posed his answer as if Edward had a choice, Edward knew he did not. And although he wasn't excited about all the time he'd spend doing activities he didn't care for, he was pleased about two things in particular: first, he'd be able to fix the car and get the guilt of what he'd done to it, and Carlisle, off his chest, and second, he'd hardly have any time to think about Bella Swan.


	23. Chapter 23

**The Tutor**

**Chapter 23 – Facing Changes**

It was brutal. Worse than he'd imagined. The schedule that Carlisle and Esme expected Edward to follow during his incarceration, as he liked to refer to it, was more than any seventeen-year-old should have to bear. Of course, everytime Edward stated as much to either one of his parents, they reminded him a little of why he was in the situation he was in. It depleted his argument, every time.

On Monday, Edward went to school, turned in his work permit, picked up a grade check report for each of his teachers (a demand from the 'rents), went to each of his classes, met his new Literacy Coach and attempted to do a bit of homework before giving up and collapsing in exhaustion.

He was so tired that his mind almost let him forget that Bella had worn her hair in a ponytail that day. And she'd had a brown t-shirt on. Who knew someone could make the color of mud look so good?

And he'd noticed her talking to Mike Newton. Twice.

Tuesday was a little better. After the teenaged rat race that is high school, Jasper dropped Edward off at Pipeline, Brian's body and repair shop, and the two got down to business right away. At first, Brian had Edward sweeping up the garage, replenishing paper towels and cleaning the bathrooms. If it was a test, Edward almost failed.

"I came here to fix cars. Not clean bathrooms." Edward marched up to Brian less than an hour into his shift.

Brian looked over his shoulder at Edward from his position under the hood of a 1985 Corvette. It took a few seconds for his eyes to soften and a lazy smile to appear on his lips. There was snickering heard from the other mechanic working underneath the car.

Brian put his hand on Edward's shoulder and pointed across the shop to a young man that looked about five years older than Edward.

"Edward, that there is Ethan. He came here from California. He has an Associates Degree in Auto Mechanics and he ran his own garage for three years before moving here. Not to mention, he can make a toilet bowl shine like nobody's business." Brian looked at Edward pointedly. "We clear?"

"Crystal," Edward said with distaste.

Brian went to duck back under the hood, but decided to add to his comment. "Edward, I appreciate a person who questions authority. So, you've questioned and I've answered. I don't want to have this conversation again."

The snickers throughout the shop ensued. Edward looked around in angered irritation.

"And don't let these chuckleheads bother you," Brian motioned towards the other mechanics. "Every single one of 'em had the same reaction as you – only it took 'em a little longer to speak up. Way I see it, you're just ahead of the curve."

Edward didn't quite know what Brian was saying, but it sounded like a compliment, so he accepted it as such before going out to sweep up the parking lot.

Edward had been plenty tired after his first day at the body shop. He ate dinner in silence, did a quarter of his homework and went to the garage to visit his dented vehicle, really assessing the damage for the first time. It was going to take him forever to work up enough credit to fix it.

Bella wore black Tuesday.

Wednesday was a lot like Monday and Thursday was a lot like Tuesday. But on Friday, Edward experienced a tiny upset to his routine.

He took the bus to Pipeline and walked in on what seemed like a very casual customer consultation.

"Yeah, she just loves this thing. It'll probably cost more than it's worth to fix it, but I wouldn't be doing her due diligence if I didn't at least look into how much it would cost."

"Well you can't blame your daughter for wanting to keep it. It's a classic," Brian said as he leaned across the counter towards the dark-haired man.

Edward didn't even need to look up to know he was speaking to Charlie Swan. _Great._

And, as if his mere presence wasn't bad enough, Brian chose that moment to promote Edward from Chief Toilet Scrubber to Opinion Giver.

"What do you think, Edward? Should his daughter hang onto a 1953 Classic, or trade it in for one of those zippy Volkswagens or something?" Brian grinned. _Bella in a Volkswagen? _Edward couldn't see it.

While Edward hemmed and hawed over his answer, Brian took a moment to introduce him to Charlie.

"This here is my newest employee- well, actually he's an intern. Just started. Isn't that right, Edward?"

"We've actually met," Charlie looked just as uncomfortable as Edward felt.

"Of course. Forks _is_ the smallest town in the world." Brian laughed.

Edward avoided making eye contact with Charlie, but stayed in the vicinity, just in case Charlie wanted to offer up his opinion of Edward to his new boss. That was the last thing Edward needed. A small business like the Pipeline thrived on word of mouth and goodwill. If Charlie even hinted that he thought Edward was bad news, Edward was nearly certain that he'd be out on his ass in no time flat.

Fortunately for Edward, Charlie's visit was a short one. Brian offered to have the truck towed in for a free diagnostic later in the next week and Charlie took him up on it. Edward was giving the lobby quite a cleaning until he saw Charlie pull away in his blue pick-up truck.

"What did he want?" Edward asked, even though he'd heard the entire conversation.

"An estimate on fixing his daughter's truck." Brian said as he referenced a similar model that he'd pulled up on the Internet. "Hopefully it's not too expensive. I'd hate to have to see her part with it if she likes it as much as he says she does."

"It's a clunker." Edward stated.

"You know it?" Brian asked.

"Yeah. And if you ask me, I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did. It probably needs a new motor."

"It's a showpiece, like yours?" Brian asked.

Edward laughed. "It's a dinosaur and it looks like one."

Brian shook his head. "Well then, the cost probably isn't going to warrant a fix."

Edward looked at the pictures on Brian's computer screen. Bella's attachment to her truck was something he didn't understand, but…her affection for it was obvious.

And before he knew it, he was speaking faster than his brain could filter his thoughts.

"I could donate my time towards the work…or something." Edward offered.

Brian cocked an eyebrow in Edward's direction. "Just how much do you think you're worth, boy?"

Edward didn't take offense to Brian calling him boy due to the comedic lilt of his voice. "I don't know…at least minimum wage."

"Yeah, well, even if it was more, you'd be indebted to me for years for the repairs on both vehicles."

Edward seemed to think about that for a moment. "How much for just hers then?"

Brian leaned back against the counter then and laughed. "Wow. She must have done some number on you. Let me guess – a cheerleader that you want to notice you?"

"Not even close." Edward said.

Brian guffawed. "Nah. You don't strike me as the cheerleader type." His eyes lingered silently on Edward, as if he were contemplating continuing the conversation, but instead he said, "Why don't we see what dear ol' dad has in mind before we go making any plans, eh?"

Edward nodded and headed off to clean the bathroom. He groaned as he opened the door and spied a plunger in the middle of the floor, the remnants of its recent use still evident on its base.

"Fuck me." He moaned. It was quickly becoming the mantra for his life.

********

It had been a long and uneventful weekend. Monday had been a state holiday, and the only good thing about it was that Bella had gotten to sleep in and put off doing homework for one more day. Not to mention that it meant there were only four days in the school week instead of five. Only four days for Bella to avoid Edward's snide comments and hard stares.

Early Tuesday morning, Bella fought to regain some semblance to her routine. She read the nutrition label on the cereal box as she unenthusiastically ate her breakfast. Overhead, she heard her father rummaging around before his heavy footfalls landed on the stairs.

"Bells, you don't have any personal items in your truck, do you?" Charlie asked as he fidgeted with his belt.

"Just CDs and stuff. Why?" Bella asked.

"Remember I told you that I was going to get your truck towed into town to see how much it was going to cost to get fixed?" Charlie reminded her.

"But I haven't even found a job yet." Bella said.

Mike Newton had been dangling the carrot of employment in front of her face for weeks now, but she'd already turned in an application and no one had called. Whenever she asked Mike about it, he'd said that his parents were on vacation, or something else. She suspected he was using the job as an excuse to keep her in close company, but whatever. She really needed the job and if that's what it took, then a few conversations with Mike wasn't going to kill her.

"Let's find out how much it'll cost at least. That way at least you'll know what you're working towards…or if you even need to work, for that matter."

"Dad, you're not paying for my truck to be fixed." Bella protested. It wasn't an issue of pride or independence. She simply knew that he didn't have the money. Any repairs would have to come out of his pension or the meager sum he received from his disability stipend. Her conscience would not allow her to take any of that when she was perfectly capable of working.

"For now, let's just see how much it'll cost, shall we?" Charlie asked. The pointed look he gave Bella let her know to drop the subject for now and let him have his way.

Bella shrugged and went back to her cereal. "Are we riding in with the tow truck or –"

"No!" Charlie replied overzealously.

"Um…okay?" Bella looked at her father like he was crazy.

"You have school, which is much more important than repair estimates. Brian knows how to get a truck towed. I'll run you to school and then head on over to Pipeline to get a breakdown.

"I can take the bus, Dad." Bella offered.

"Waste of money," Charlie said as he spied the tow truck driver in his front yard. "After I run you over to the school, I need to head over to the pharmacy. By the time I get done there, Brian should have some information for me."

Bella shrugged and got her jacket, all the while wondering if it would be rude to ask Alice for a ride to school until her truck was fixed.

********

The pharmacy was ridiculously busy for a Tuesday afternoon. By the time Charlie had gotten his medication, he'd had his fill of screaming toddlers and cantankerous geriatrics. By the time he made it to Pipeline, his patience was worn thin and his nerves were shot. He was weary of seeing Brian's newest employee behind the counter.

Luckily, it was the middle of the day and Edward was at school.

"I've got some good news and some not so good news," Brian came out bearing a clipboard when he saw Charlie drive up.

"Hit me with the bad," Charlie braced himself.

"It's going to cost more than you initially paid to get this beast back on the road," Brian said as he showed Charlie the written estimate.

Charlie let out a low whistle at the figure. "Damn. What's the good news?"

"I've got a pretty eager intern that has offered to work off some of the cost. Might be able to whittle a few hundred off."

"What? Who?" Charlie didn't understand what Brian was saying, but then realization dawned on him before Brian had to answer. "Edward."

"For some reason he's volunteered his time toward the fixing of this vehicle," Brian smiled, knowing that Edward's services weren't really a viable option.

"Are you scraping the bottom of the barrel for your help these days?" Charlie asked.

"Edward's not a bad kid."

"He's a punk."

"He's a seventeen-year-old guy. They're all punks."

Charlie shook his head. "This one's grade-A."

Brian chuckled. "Let me guess…boyfriend?"

"Ex-boyfriend, thank god."

"Ah," Brian nodded. "That explains a lot."

Charlie accepted the written estimate from Brian and folded it up before placing it in his pocket. "Looks like Edward's off the hook." Charlie said. "I'm going to try and talk my daughter into something new. I have a feeling if I fix this thing, it's not even going to last her through her senior year."

"There's certainly a lot wrong with it. The heater is going out, the defrost doesn't work, the clutch sticks, the radiator's cracked…not to mention the engine. It's not the kind of vehicle you want your young daughter driving. It would most likely strand her somewhere."

Charlie thanked Brian and ducked out of his shop. He was not looking forward to disclosing the bad news to Bella: that her truck wasn't going to be fixed. One thing he knew for certain that he wasn't going to disclose, it was Edward's offer to help cut the repair costs. If that weasel wanted to get back into Bella's good graces, Charlie would be damned if he was going to help him do it.

********

The dynamic at school had changed since Alice had started spending so much time with Bella, everyone was avoiding Rosalie and Edward was avoiding them both. Jasper hated the separation from Alice at lunchtime, but she had Bella, and Edward had no one.

"You can go over there if you want," Edward said when he saw the longing way Jasper glanced toward their old lunch table, where Alice sat flanked by Bella and a girl he didn't recognize.

"Nah. They're probably talking about stuff I don't want to hear about anyway," Jasper brushed it off. "Did you talk to Bella yet?"

"I'm not going to talk to Bella," Edward frowned as he whispered her name. He looked around to make sure no one was in earshot before he continued. "Anyway, that's not what you said. You said just to look at her."

"And did you?"

"Yeah, but she never looks at me. Everytime I see her, she's got her head down, or Alice sees me first and tells her I'm there and then she doesn't look." Edward seemed frustrated.

"Do you want me to talk to Alice? I could tell her –"

"No!" Edward interrupted Jasper's offer. "Don't you tell anybody anything!" Edward hissed. Then he started to pace. "You know what? Forget about this. There's nothing to tell because I'm not doing anything you say. This is fuckin' ridiculous."

Jasper laughed. "Edward, relax, Man. And just because things get difficult, it doesn't mean you have to bail on 'em."

"I'm not. Just fuckin' forget it." Edward was adamant.

"Seriously?" Jasper questioned. "Because I'm not going to waste my time if you can't even be honest with yourself."

"Waste your time? Who do you think you are, Dr. Phil?" Edward asked him.

"It's just tiring to always have to go through this with you. Either you like her or you don't. Quit going back and forth."

"I'm not."

"You are."

"I'm not," Edward insisted as he looked up at Jasper sternly. "I fuckin'…do. Okay? Happy now?"

"Ecstatic." Jasper rolled his eyes. "Now hopefully we don't have to have this conversation again tomorrow."

Now it was Edward's turn to roll his eyes, but Jasper noticed that they lingered in Bella's direction a tad bit longer than usual.

"Just don't say anything…to anybody." Edward reiterated.

"Like I don't have better things to talk about. Anyway, you'll get back together soon anyway. Then _everybody_ will know."

Edward tried to look as if those words had no affect on him. But Jasper noticed the hopefulness, as only a close friend would.

********

True to his word, Brian assessed Edward at the end of his first week and told him that he was happy with Edward's progress. As a result, he allowed Edward to store his car at the garage in preparation of man-hours being devoted to it as time allowed. Carlisle drove the car into the shop on Wednesday. Despite its altered appearance, the car drove perfectly well.

When Carlisle pulled up, all of the mechanics on shift came out to admire the car – Edward's car. For Edward, it was as if he was seeing the damage through a fresh set of eyes; to see everyone appreciate something that he had taken for granted made him feel small and unworthy.

"Man," Brian said as he ran his hand over the dented hood of the car. "What a waste."

Edward winced as he watched the reaction. He looked over at Carlisle and the two shared a silent communication. _Does he know that you did this?_

"Brian, this is my…dad, Carlisle Cullen," Edward introduced awkwardly.

Carlisle looks surprised at the introduction, but only for a split second. He quickly regained his professional demeanor as he held his hand out for Brian to shake.

"You have a great boy, here." Brian nodded towards Edward. "Good worker. Very motivated."

"Yes," Carlisle smiled. "Thank you."

"Okay, Edward, lets say we put this princess in the inventory." Brian said as he walked over to the computer. "Got your paperwork?"

Edward went to the car and pulled out the registration information before walking up to the counter where Brian stood. He held out the papers for Brian to take.

"I'll type. You read it off to me. What's the VIN number?" Brian asked.

Edward looked over his shoulder at Carlisle, and Carlisle quickly pointed out the vehicle identification number. Edward read off the series of letters and numbers and Brian typed it in.

"Okay, plate number?" Brian looked at Edward expectantly.

Edward looked at Carlisle. However, this time, when Carlisle when to assist, Brian stopped him.

"Why don't you let him do it, Dad?" Brian suggested.

Carlisle looked at Brian like he was trying to tell him something without using words, but Brian focused his attention on Edward.

"Plate number?" Brian asked again.

Edward stared at the paper as if it were going to speak. His eyes darted around nervously and the looming silence was driving him insane. Finally he shoved the paper towards Brian.

"Here," Edward told him.

"What's the plate number," Brian kept his eyes on the computer and his fingers poised above the keyboard, ready to enter whatever Edward told him.

"There's no damn plate number on here!" Edward raised his voice.

"There'd better be or that car isn't legit," Brian smirked.

Carlisle cleared his throat and leaned over to speak to Brian quietly. "Edward is a bit uncomfortable reading unfamiliar material."

"Don't make excuses for him, Dad," Brian fleetingly looked at Carlisle before turning his attention back to Edward. "If he has a problem with something I ask him to do, then he better man up and ask me a question instead of throwing a temper tantrum like a little kid. I don't have time for toddlers."

Anger coursed through Edward's veins at this man before him, goading him to expose all of his shortcomings; mocking him to admit to the entire garage that he couldn't read the words on the paper.

Edward curled and uncurled his fingers into a fist as he prepared a full-out verbal attack on Brian and anyone else who happened to be listening to what was going on. Just as he inhaled sharply in preparation of a launch, Edward cast a sideways glance at Carlisle and was distracted by what he saw.

Carlisle stood next to him with his eyes closed in anguish as he very slowly rocked from the heels to the balls of his feet. He looked as if he were bracing himself for something bad…something catastrophic…something Edwardian.

And in that moment, Edward not only remembered Carlisle's warning to him about the consequences of his actions, but he also saw, played out in his mind, the consequences of what he was about to do:

_A verbal attack on Brian; destruction of property; Carlisle's embarrassment; Carlisle's disappointment; the loss of the internship; not being able to fix the car; not changing – not being worthy of Bella…_

Before he knew what was happening, Edward's left hand came down upon the counter as he pulled the registration information back towards him.

"Which one is the plate number?" he asked quietly.

"Starts with a 'p'" Brian watched him closely.

Edward stated the plate number almost instantly. When he looked up, he saw that Brian was looking intently at him.

"Don't convince yourself that you don't know something that you _do_ know." Brian said. He waited for Edward to acknowledge him with a nod before he continued. "Scale weight?"

It took Edward merely a moment as his fingers scanned across the document to compartmentalize letters and acronyms. As he stated the weight for Brian, he felt silly for his internal celebration at such a remedial victory. But then he felt Carlisle gently squeeze his shoulder in tangible pride. And Edward reveled in the feeling of worth for the moment.

********

Bella sat in silence as her father gave her a ride to school once again. She constantly reminded herself that it could have been much worse. Before her father retired from the police force, he would have driven her to school in his cruiser. _Talk about embarrassing._ At least now it was just his truck. And since he'd told her the bad news about her truck repairs, she figured she'd better get used to it.

Or get up the courage to ask Alice for a ride.

Bella had decided that she would bring it up casually in conversation. She'd complain about the awkward conversations she had with her dad on the way to school and hope that Alice offered to rescue her.

But Alice wasn't there.

Bella spied Jasper across the quad, and after making sure he was alone, or more appropriately, without Edward, she crossed the yard to him.

"Jasper, no Alice today?" she asked. She rarely had conversations with him and it felt odd to approach him on her own.

"Nah. She went in to Port Angeles with her mom this morning. Some spa appointment or something," Jasper shrugged.

"Oh. Okay. Thanks." Bella nodded. Jasper looked at her like he wanted to say something more, but Bella figured anything Jasper had to say to her would more than likely be about Edward, and she did _not_ want to talk about him. Not when she was sure that anything she said was going to get parroted right back to Edward.

So Bella was on her own for the day. And although she was used to being alone, she had gotten accustomed to hanging out with Alice. It was nice to have someone to talk to and walk the halls with. And with Alice, she was starting to develop a sort of routine. They'd meet up and walk to art, then split up to go to their separate ways for their next classes, only to meet up again at lunch. In the afternoon, they managed a P.E. class together and they always managed to see one another before they left school at the end of the day.

Because Bella was so accustomed to spending time with Alice, she lost focus of the amount of energy she usually expended to stay out of Edward's path. All she knew was that she didn't want to watch for him. So she kept her eyes on her shoes as she walked. Luckily, her peers stayed out of her way.

Bella spent her lunch period in the library. She had no homework and to upcoming tests, so she leisurely leafed through a magazine that reminded her of home in Arizona. It made her homesick, so Bella closed the magazine and looked out the window, out onto the campus. As if life was working to remind her how far she was from Phoenix, it started to rain. Hard.

The students piled under eaves, walkways and corridors in an effort to avoid the rain. As Bella exited the library, she was met with a wall of people trying to stay dry.

Edward was among them.

Their eyes met for a millisecond before Bella quickly looked away, hoping to avoid the sinister glare she knew she'd find.

And just to satisfy an internal wager with herself, she looked again; sure that Edward's expression would communicate to same hatred and anger that he'd expressed that day on her porch.

But he was simply looking at her, his face expressionless. Bella felt entranced by his eyes and she couldn't look away. Instead she searched for meaning – hoping there was one. _Tell me I made a mistake. Tell me I can trust you. Tell me I don't have to fear for my heart. Tell me…something._

"Get out of the way!"

Someone nudged Bella from behind and broke the spell she was under. She looked over her shoulder to see a boy she barely recognized from her art class, scowling as he pushed by her. When she looked back at Edward, he was no longer watching her, but the departing figure of her classmate who seemed to be in such a hurry. This time anger was clearly evident upon his features.

As Bella walked away, she wondered whom it was intended for.


	24. Chapter 24

_I just want to say that you can attribute this quick update to: Sunfeathers, Lottie2303, Azra86, kpeery1, vysed, HopeStreet, Famingo, tweely, meltdown17, Capricorn75, Sandyk199, Elizabeth Masen, sensecoalition, and a whole host of other reviewers who made my heart swell with their words. Here is my thank you! _

The Tutor

**Chapter 24 – Run-Ins **

Economics is an important subject and if everyone understood it a little better, the world would run so much smoother. So why do they make it so impossible to understand?

That was the question Bella scribbled at the top of her current event for her Intro to Economics class. Some of the stuff written in her book might as well have been in Chinese for all that she could understand. _Who was it that said this was an easy A?_

The phone rang and Bella reached over lazily to answer it. When she saw the name on the Caller ID, her heart leapt within her chest.

"Hello?"

"Baby girl!" her mother's voice rang clear through the receiver.

"Mom!" Bella didn't realize just how much she missed her mother until she heard her voice.

"How are ya, Honey?" Renee asked.

"I'm good." Bella said quickly. "What's new with you?"

"I didn't call to talk about me, kiddo! I want to hear about you." Bella's mom laughed.

That should have been Bella's first clue that something was up. Renee's calls were always prompted by some new development in her own life that she couldn't wait to share. Catching up on the happenings of her daughter's life was just a side effect.

"There's nothing much going on here. Just school…oh, and my truck died. I'm totally dependent on Dad for rides now. It sucks."

"No friends with cars?"

"I don't want to burden anyone."

"Oh, you wouldn't be a bother, I'm sure. Especially if there was a certain guy whose interest you've captured…"

Bella frowned even though her mother couldn't see her. It just seemed like such an odd thing for Renee to say.

"I'm trying to get a job so I can get another car," Bella changed the subject.

Renee changed it back.

"Jobs take up too much time. Then you can't hang out with friends…or other _significant _people of interest_._"

"Mom, what's going on?" Bella finally faced the obnoxious line of questioning.

"Nothing. I just want to make sure you're okay, that's all."

"Uh-huh. What's with all the significant other speak?"

"Is there one?"

"No."

"Really? Because your dad said—"

"Ah hah! I knew you were fishing around for something."

"I just want to know what's up with you. Your dad mentioned that you were dating someone. How come you didn't tell me?"

"I did tell you."

"You did?"

"Yeah."

"Oh. Well what happened?"

"We broke up."

"Why?"

"It's complicated."

"Gee, Bella. Don't confide too much in me. I'm only your mother, after all."

Bella laughed at her mother's pretense of hurt feelings.

"C'mon, Baby. Your dad actually called me. Which means he must be really, really worried about you. Should he be?" Renee asked.

"No." Bella shook her head. "I don't know why he called you. I'm totally fine."

"He said you sit in your room a lot and that you cry at night when you think he's asleep."

That information caught Bella off guard. _Her dad knew about that?_

"Isn't that what teenaged girls are supposed to do?" Bella laughed.

"So you're not denying it?" Renee asked.

_Man, she was like a pit bull with a bone. Just drop it already._

"Mom, I'm fine." There. Bella was sure that would throw her off her scent.

"What was his name again?" Renee pressed.

"Edward." Yep, it still hurt to say his name.

"Edward? Such an old name for a young soul…He is young, isn't he?"

Ironically, that was the same thing Renee had said the first time Bella had mentioned Edward to her.

"Same age as me." Bella said. For the second time.

"So why'd you two break up?"

Bella let out a long and laborious sigh of defeat. "Do you want the complicated answer or the uncomplicated answer?"

"The uncomplicated answer."

"He lied to me."

"What'd he lie about?"

"He told me he didn't do something that he did, in fact do."

Renee sounded impatient on the other end of the phone line. "Okay, so what are we talking here? Hard time or what? What'd he lie about?"

Bella hesitated to answer. And then she took a moment to be introspective about her hesitation – but only a moment because her mother kept badgering her to answer. _Why couldn't she answer? Why couldn't she give a reasonable answer to the question: What did Edward lie about?_

"Mom, I—" It was Bella's intention to tell her mother that she didn't want to talk about it. But the floodgates opened and Bella broke down. And out of her mouth spewed every fear and failure she harbored in regards to one Edward Cullen.

********

Rosalie stared at the small rocks that lined the flowerbed and porch of the two-story Victorian home. After contemplating her words, she carefully brought her right hand up to rap on the large mahogany door.

It opened so fast that Rosalie thought it was going to fly off its hinges.

"Yeah?"

"Um…" Rosalie blinked a few times as she tried to remember what she wanted. "Um, is Jasper here?"

Emmett towered over the lone girl at the door. He looked her up and down before a slow smile spread across his face.

"Rose!" he greeted her.

"Hey, Emmett…It is Emmett, right?"

"Ah, I'm hurt!" Emmett feigned a shot to the heart. "You didn't even remember my name!"

"It's not Emmett?"

"It is."

"Then I remembered."

"But you weren't sure."

Rosalie was on a mission and was annoyed to be waylaid by Emmett and his antics. Even if he did have the cutest dimples when he smiled.

"So…is Jasper here?" she asked again.

"Nope. He ran out for a sec. I think he'll be right back. Wanna wait?" Emmett asked.

Since she had nothing better to do, she agreed.

"Okay. You can wait in the house," Emmett said as he walked out past her, to the open garage.

"Where are you going?" Rosalie asked. She'd gotten her fill of being alone and wasn't really in the mood for it at the moment.

"Cherry and I have a date with an oil filter," Emmett grinned.

"Cherry?"

Emmett gestured for her to follow him into the garage, where his cherry-red mustang was waiting.

"Oh, yeah. I remember now." Rosalie said. "Keeping it parked in the right gear."

"Hey, that never leaves this garage, got that?" Emmett pretended to be stern.

"I don't know…what do I get for my silence?"

"How 'bout I don't tell Alice you were over here trying to hang out with her boyfriend?" Emmett winked.

Rosalie was immediately offended. "It's not like that! Jasper and I are friends."

Emmett held up his hands in mock surrender. "Way to take a joke, Rose."

"And quit calling me Rose. Do I look like a damn flower to you?"

Emmett ignored Rosalie's attitude and turned his attention back to his car. If a few moments time, she was next to him, peering under the hood like one of his buddies.

"I always liked these cars. They're so easy to work on." She said.

Emmett stood up and tried to ignore the way her v-neck t-shirt dipped down as she leaned over his most prized possession.

"So what do you want with Jasper?" Emmett asked.

"Some…advice, actually." Rosalie admitted.

"What is it? Alice's birthday or something? Because I can tell you first hand, there's no gift you can buy her that she'll actually like."

"Itunes gift cards. She loves them." Rosalie answered quickly.

"Hmm…good to know. If she's still around at Christmas, I know just what I'll get her."

"She will be. She and Jasper are MTB."

"M-T-B?"

"Meant to be."

"And just in case I forgot you were still in high school…"

Rosalie ignored his sarcastic comment. "Why? You don't think you can find true love in high school?"

"I never said that," Emmett defended himself. "And I do believe it happens. Often, actually."

"Do you believe that…maybe one person knows more than the other?"

Emmett looked over at her then, like she was crazy. "What?"

"Like, say you were in love with a girl in high school and she didn't love you back. Do you think it's possible that the two of you were meant to be and she just hadn't realized it yet?"

Emmett shrugged. "It's possible, I guess."

Rosalie seemed pleased with his answer.

"But unlikely," Emmett added. "I mean, I guess it depends. If the guy all out hates you, though, I'd give it up."

"But what if—"

"I doubt you…or whomever, would go through this much trouble if she truly believed the guy loved her." Emmett watched as his words reached her. "You don't love him either, though."

"What?" Rosalie looked at him.

"Edward. That is who this is about, isn't it?" Emmett grinned. "I hear things. Kinda comes with the territory of being his best friend's brother."

Rosalie felt stripped bare by his words and she leaned against the car, deflated. "I wasn't talking about me, though." She said to the ground.

"Course not." He grinned. When he looked over at her, she was walking out of the garage and down the driveway. "Hey, Jasper will be back any minute."

"I have to get going," Rosalie turned and looked at Emmett directly before she disappeared. "And for the record, I wanted to talk to Jasper about Alice, _not_ Edward."

********

In soap operas, the protagonist and antagonist always ended up at the same unlikely place at the same unlikely time. However, this was Forks. There was one main grocery store, one Post Office, one gas station that allowed you to pay at the pump, and one music store. As a resident of the small town of Forks, you _always_ ended up at the same place and time as the person you least wanted to see. No soap opera required.

So Edward wasn't at all shocked when Charlie Swan walked into the grocery store just as he was finishing up his afterschool errand for Esme.

As they passed one another, Edward stole a glance at Charlie and saw that Charlie was doing the same thing.

"Edward," he nodded.

Edward had all but passed him up by the time his greeting registered. But since the ex-Chief Swan had bothered to utter a greeting at all, Edward felt justified in doing something that was long overdue. He turned on his heels and headed back inside the store – quickly before he lost his nerve.

He met up with Charlie at the deli counter.

"Um…" _What does one call an ex-Chief of Police?_ "Mr. Swan?"

"Hmm?" Charlie grunted as he pulled a number from the red dial and waited for it to be called for service.

"Uh…Can I talk to you for a minute?" Edward took in the three other individuals that stood waiting for assistance.

Charlie seemed to notice his discomfort. "Alright."

"Should I wait for you to finish up or…" Edward began.

"Looks like I'm gonna be awhile so you might as well go ahead. Say what's on your mind." Charlie said as he folded his arms over his chest and rocked back and forth in an intimidating manner.

Edward took a deep breath, and making sure to keep his eyes off Charlie's so that he could actually get through the sentence, he said, "I know that I didn't make the best…language choices the last time I was at your house…"

"That's right." Charlie reiterated.

"I wanted to apologize for that."

"Okay."

"And I wanted to say that I wasn't saying those words to Bella…"

"Well then who were you talking to?"

"Well…I _was_ talking to Bella, but I wasn't calling her…I was just mad so I was saying the words but not _at_ her." Edward heard himself as he spoke and he felt as ridiculous as he sounded.

"She seems to think otherwise." Charlie said.

"She does?" Edward looked up at Charlie expectantly, hoping to retrieve more information regarding Bella's perspective of that day.

Charlie shut down like a bank on holiday right before Edward's eyes. "Edward, I don't think it's my place to trade messages between you and Bella."

"And I'm not asking you to," Edward quickly concurred. "I just wanted you to know that I am going to apologize to Bella. And to do that, I need to talk to her."

Edward took in the confused expression on Charlie's face and knew that he wasn't following Edward's point.

So Edward clarified; "Bella does whatever you tell her to, and I didn't know if you'd told her not to talk to me, so I figured I'd better ask you before I went up and talked to her."

The smug expression returned to Charlie's face. "Well…you didn't ask me anything."

"Oh. Um…can I apologize to Bella?" Edward asked.

Charlie's gaze remained hard and unresponsive to Edward's request. It was a difficult situation to determine off the cuff. What father wouldn't want his daughter respected enough to receive verbal restitution for an injustice? On the other hand, what would said restitution mean in the future? And what if Bella didn't want an apology? What if she wanted to be left alone?

"Edward, while I appreciate the fact that you were man enough to apologize to me for how you acted," Charlie paused to shift his weight to his other foot, "I can't really speak for Bella. If she doesn't want to talk to you, that's her right."

Edward nodded his acceptance and ducked out of the deli and supermarket in record time. Though Charlie hadn't explicitly given him permission to talk to Bella, he hadn't told him that he couldn't. And to Edward, that was a win.

********

"No, no, no. You can't do it yet," Jasper said later when Edward had informed him of his plan to apologize to Bella.

"Why not?" Edward asked in irritation. He'd thought Jasper would laud his grand gesture as the next best thing since sliced bread.

"Because it's too soon." Jasper said.

"But you said for me to look at her. I looked at her. She looked back. It worked!" Edward told him.

"Yeah, but that's just step one."

"Well then what the hell is step two and how many fuckin' steps before I get to talk to her?" Edward asked.

Jasper tried hard not to laugh at the anguish that riddled Edward's voice. He truly had come a long way in a short period of time. It wasn't long ago that he was trying to convince himself and everyone else that he didn't even like Bella.

"Edward, let's say you do walk up to Bella and tell her you're sorry. First of all, what are you sorry for?" Jasper asked.

"Why do you need to know that?" Edward asked.

"She might ask."

"And I'll answer her. Not you."

"Fine. I was making a point, anyway. If you apologize to Bella now, she's not going to know what do with it. Since the last thing you said to her was about her bush," Jasper paused to laugh, "I'd say she needs to see a little more from you before she accepts you in her good graces."

Edward's grounding included a phone restriction. Under the guise of "finding out about a homework assignment", Edward had persuaded Esme to allow him to phone Jasper. However, he knew he had to be quick. For that reason, he gave in to Jasper's rules without many more comments. "Fine. What do I do next?"

"That's easy. Smile at her and say something simple. Like, 'hello'."

Edward shook his head at the simplicity of the statement. "What else?"

"Do that first. Then we'll talk."

"That'll take like fifteen seconds. What do I do after that?"

"Just walk away."

"Just walk away? She'll think I'm fuckin' with her!"

"Just trust me on this."

"Yeah, yeah. Trust you. Says the guy who shaves his girlfriend's legs."

"Hell yeah I do. And her pussy, too. That shit is sexy as hell."

Edward simply rolled his eyes. With all the advice he was taking from Jasper, he was starting to feel like a "pussy too".

********

Since it wasn't Edward's day to be at Pipeline, Carlisle made a pit stop on his way home from work to check on Edward's progress and to get an estimate of what the damages to his car would actually cost.

He found Brian just as he was finishing up a consultation with another client.

"Can I help you?" Brian asked.

Carlisle could immediately tell that Brian didn't remember him.

"Yes. I'm Edward Cullen's father," he began. He smiled once the recognition showed on Brian's face.

"Oh, yes! Carlisle, right? How can I help you?"

"I just stopped by to see if you've actually had a chance to assess the damage on Edward's car." Carlisle wondered.

"Yeah, actually, I did take a look at it and it depends on how you want to proceed."

"Me?"

"Well, I assume it was your idea for Edward to work off the damage he did to his car." Brian peered over at Carlisle.

A shiver of envy went through Carlisle's body as he realized that Brian knew that Edward had caused the damage to the car. Which meant that in the short period of time that Edward had known Brian, he felt more comfortable confiding in him than he did Carlisle. It was a painful revelation.

"It was Edward's idea, actually." Carlisle said softly.

"Oh." Brian straightened his posture. "Well we can order a new hood, which will drastically cut down on the amount of time it'll take fix the car, or I can show him how to knock out each of the dents…one by one."

"What's the cost savings on that? Knocking out the dents versus a new hood?" Carlisle asked.

"Since time is money, none, really. But something tells me Edward could stand to undo a dent or two…since they were of his making."

Carlisle felt the sting again.

"Did Edward tell you that?" he asked.

Brian shook his head. "He didn't have to. It's pretty apparent by the way he handles himself that he has quite a temper. Plus, he won't look at me when I ask him about it. I can read between the lines."

"And the reading…how'd you figure that out?" Carlisle probed.

"Edward reminds me a lot of myself when I was his age. My parents realized I couldn't read when I was fourteen. By that time, I had gotten pretty good at manipulating situations to mask my deficiency. Edward does all the things I did. I recognized it right away."

"What kind of things?" Carlisle asked quickly. Then, thinking he might be deemed inconsiderate he amended, "if you don't mind."

"Unwilling to fill out paperwork, makes lots of excuses like he's got a hangnail or his hand hurts or he's got a headache so he can't read, um, anger, inferiority complex, mouthy, very routine…" Brian trailed off. "Sound like Edward?"

"Yeah, actually, it does." Carlisle said as he ran his fingers through his hair. "He's working on it, though."

Brian nodded and jerked his thumb in the direction of Edward's car. "So what's the story behind the damage? Why'd he do it?"

"He's not too forthcoming about it, but from what I gather, it has something to do with a recent breakup." Carlisle said. He immediately felt guilty for divulging information about Edward. It was Edward's story to tell. Not his.

"She must have been some girl," Brian whistled towards the damage.

Carlisle gave a tight-lipped smile, but no further information. "So… then Edward's on track to work off the damage?"

Brian waved off Carlisle's words. "Yeah, it won't be an issue. He'll even learn a thing or two. He's a great kid. I don't mind having him around."

"Great," Carlisle made a move towards the door. "And I'd appreciate it if we could keep this visit under wraps. I don't want Edward to feel like I'm checking up on him."

"You're his dad. It's what dad's do." Brian smiled.

Brian's words resonated as more than lip service as Carlisle climbed into his car. For the first time in a long time, where Edward was concerned, he actually _felt_ like his dad.

********

"Hey, Bells!"

Charlie sat in his chair at the kitchen table and bellowed towards the stairs, hoping that Bella would come down without him having to go up and get her. His hip was really starting to bother him.

"Yeah, Dad?" Bella said, still in her bedroom.

"Come on down here. I want to talk to you about something."

Bella appeared before him a few minutes later.

"What's up?" She asked as she pulled out her chair and sat down. Charlie couldn't help but notice that she looked a little "peppy" and she moved with much more energy than she had the previous weeks.

"Billy called me this morning and offered me a free spot on a fishing boat. One of the other guys canceled at the last minute and forfeited his spot." Charlie began.

"Cool," Bella nodded. Her disinterest was apparent.

"Yeah, so…it's an overnight trip." Charlie hedged.

"How many _overnights_?" Bella noticed his hesitation.

"Two…three tops."

"The whole weekend then?"

"Well, actually I'd be leaving tomorrow morning." Charlie waited while Bella sorted out what that meant for her.

"In the middle of the week? So…how am I going to get to school? Can I drive your truck?"

"Sure," Charlie agreed. If that was all Bella was concerned about, then surely the least he could do was loan her his wheels. He wasn't going to need them. "But no driving into Port Angeles. I'd feel better if I knew you were staying local."

"Yeah, no problem."

"And no one at the house."

"Not even Alice?"

"Which one is Alice?"

"The one I went to the movies with."

"Oh. Yeah. She's fine. No boys though."

"Got it."

At the mention of boys, Charlie noticed a shift in Bella's demeanor. Suddenly she was downcast once again. _Damn that Edward Cullen!_

Charlie had been contemplating whether or not he should tell Bella that _the spawn of Satan _had spoken to him earlier at the grocery store. But her reaction at the mere indirect mention of him broke Charlie's heart.

And he decided right then and there not to mention a word about Edward and his probably-will-never-happen apology.

********

The next morning, Alice popped over to Jasper's house on her way to school. It had been a long time since they'd ridden together because he was always giving Edward a ride. Jasper also didn't like to be at school without his car, in case he wanted to leave early, but Alice figured one carpooling session wouldn't kill him.

However, upon her arrival, she realized that it might kill her if she had to ride with Jasper and his present company. Edward was seated in Jasper's living room with his feet up on the coffee table.

"What are you doing here?" Alice asked him sourly.

Edward simply ignored her, so with a pout on her face, Alice stalked off to find her boyfriend.

She caught him just as he was exiting the bathroom.

"Oh, hey babe. What are you doing here?" Jasper asked.

"I _was_ going to ask you if you wanted a ride to school, but since I only have a two-seater…" Alice hinted.

"Ride with us." Jasper invited.

Alice gave him a look that told him that was doubtful.

"Why not?" Jasper asked.

Alice motioned towards the living room. "I'm not riding with him."

"Why? What'd he do to you?" Jasper asked. Last time he checked, the answer was 'nothing'.

"I just don't like what he did to Bella," Alice whispered.

Jasper rolled his eyes. "I swear, it takes you girls like twelve seconds to form alliances. And anyway, how do you know why they broke up? He won't tell me." Jasper said regarding Edward.

"Well isn't it obvious?" Alice said impatiently. When Jasper still looked dumbfounded, she continued. "It's because of all that shit he did with Rosalie."

"What?" Jasper looked confused.

"Hey," Edward stepped out into the hallway. "Are we going or what? I need smokes."

"Yeah," Jasper said without taking his eyes off Alice. "But Alice has shotgun."

"Like hell," Edward muttered as he walked outside and climbed into the front seat of Jasper's car.

Alice was livid, but Jasper calmed her down by whispering promises of good things to come in her ear. She sneered at Edward as she sat down behind the driver's seat.

At the gas station before school, Edward ran inside to get cigarettes while Jasper bought Red Vines and paid for his gas. The lever to pump automatically was broken, which required Edward to sit in the car with Alice while Jasper stood outside and pumped the gas.

Edward looked in the rearview mirror at Alice. She noticed his leering several times before she acknowledged him.

"What?" she asked.

"We did not break up because of Rosalie," he said, his voice laced with irritation and uneasiness.

"Whatever," Alice said.

"Well if you're not gonna tell the truth, keep your damn mouth shut."

"Hey, don't get mad at me because Bella found out you were a dick. That's nobody's fault but your own."

Alice folded her arms over her chest and looked out the window in contempt. She waited for one of Edward's usual wisecracks, but it didn't come. In fact, all she heard from the front seat was a very faint, "I know."

********

Bella was in the school parking lot when she heard Alice's shrill voice ring out, calling her name. She looked over in time to see Alice spill out of Jasper's car after Jasper and…Edward.

Bella quickly looked away and tried to hurry for her locker. As soon as she increased her pace, she got clumsy and dropped her books. In the time it took to retrieve them, Alice caught up to her.

"New wheels?" Alice indicated towards the truck.

"It's my dad's. He's out of town, so I have the honors," Bella smiled.

"Out of town? For how long?" Alice looked way too interested.

"Rest of the week," Bella said. She fought hard to keep her attention tuned to Alice instead of the tall, handsome, brooding teenager that was headed her way.

"You should have a party," Alice stated.

"No. No parties," Bella shook her head. "You can come over though."

Alice reacted to Bella's words, but Bella didn't hear her. She was too busy looking at Edward, trying and failing to understand if her shock came more from the fact that he was holding her gaze or that she was holding his.

"Hey."

After realizing that Edward was addressing her, Bella's brain moved faster than her heart. She went to speak but her vocal chords rebelled as she tried to return the monosyllabic greeting. Instead of the English language, her reply came out sounding more like an Icelandic version of Yiddish.

But it was enough. As he passed her by, he nodded through a slight smile – acknowledgment that he'd heard her.


	25. Chapter 25

**The Tutor**

**Chapter 25 – Grand Gestures**

Jasper lounged casually on Alice's lightly colored bedspread as she sat at her laptop adding songs to each of their ipods.

"Emmett just said that Twisted Ale is playing at U-Dub tomorrow night. Road trip?" Jasper suggested.

Alice scoffed from where she sat. "I'm not driving nearly four hours for Twisted Ale. They're not even that good. Their new drummer sucks." She spun around to face Jasper. "Besides, Bella has the house to herself for three whole days. We have plans."

"Plans for what?" Jasper sat up in interest.

"Plans that don't include spending all of our parent-free time in a car." Alice said as she flipped through her song choices on the screen.

"Am I invited?" Jasper asked.

"As long as you don't invite Edward," Alice uttered his name in contempt.

"You shouldn't be so hard on Edward."

"Why shouldn't I? The guy's a complete loser and an asshole. He doesn't care about Bella—"

"That's where you're wrong. He most certainly cares about Bella."

Alice rolled her eyes, finally focusing her attention from the computer screen onto Jasper. "Surely he doesn't have you fooled, too?"

"Fooled?"

"Edward doesn't care about anyone but himself."

"Edward cares about Bella."

"How can you say that? Look what he did to her! You don't screw over people you care about."

"Hmm…really?"

Jasper immediately regretted his words as soon as he'd uttered them. He saw Alice's body stiffen before her shoulders slumped in emotional defeat.

"Thanks a lot, Jaz." She whispered.

"No, baby, I'm not…" Jasper was on his feet in seconds. He went to Alice and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm not saying you're a bad person."

"That's exactly what you're saying. Comparing me to _Edward_? Really, Jasper? That's pretty low." Alice was on the verge of tears.

"All I'm saying is that of anyone, I'd expect you to understand that you can still care about someone and make a mistake."

"And you think that's all Edward did? Made a mistake?"

"Yeah. Why is that so hard for you to believe?"

"Because there is no evidence to support what you're saying. There is, however, ample evidence to back up what I'm saying."

"How about because he told me how he feels about her?"

Alice looked back blankly at her computer screen, not really listening to Jasper and anymore of his pro-Edward spiel.

"I'm not like Edward. I'm not." She whispered, more to herself than Jasper.

Jasper shifted so that he was sitting comfortably on the floor in front of Alice. "I know you don't like him, and I'm not asking you to. But, aside from my family, you and Edward are the two most important people in my life. I love you both and I know you both, really well. It's how I knew that you and I could work things out, regardless of people telling me I shouldn't bother. And it's how I know that Bella is different for Edward. He really cares, Alice."

Alice was quiet for a long while and Jasper was sure he had gotten through to her; sure she was considering Edward in a new light.

"I really like Bella. And I don't think Edward is right for her. Even if _he_ doesn't know it, I think she does." Alice finally said.

Jasper sighed in defeat. "Listen…Edward is trying. And I don't expect you to whisper nice things about him in Bella's ear—"

"Good. Because I won't." Alice interjected.

"What I do expect, however," Jasper spoke over her, "is that you won't do anything to ruin his chances either."

Alice shrugged. "Bella is her own person. She can make up her own mind."

"Alice," Jasper's tone was warning.

"Alright. I won't say anything."

********

Alice was still reeling from Jasper's comment about her being similar to Edward when she saw Bella cross the school parking lot on her way to her first class. Not far from Bella, Alice also spotted Rosalie. She was listening to something Jessica was animatedly saying. Apparently the conversation required the theatrics of grand hand gestures and head bobbing.

Alice quickly looked over at Bella to see if she'd noticed Rosalie; or more importantly, noticed that she would be outnumbered if she encountered Rosalie.

If Bella noticed, she gave no indication of such. She simply kept walking, cutting the distance between them inch by inch before she overtook and passed them by.

Alice saw the exact moment that Rosalie spotted Bella. Her eyes narrowed and she pointed and whispered something to Jessica. Together they visually sized the situation up before they began a stealth cat-like traipse towards their target.

"Bella!" Alice jumped out of her car and waved towards her friend. "Hey, come here! I need to show you something!"

Bella turned and looked, confused as to where the voice was coming from, until she spotted Alice. A grin sprung onto her face as she crossed the pavement towards her friend.

"What'd you have to show me?" Bella asked.

Alice stood silently facing Bella, but her eyes were on two figures descending upon the school behind her.

Bella looked over her shoulder to where Alice's gaze was perched. "Alice?" she raised her eyebrows in question. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Alice answered when she realized Bella was wise to her motive. "I just…they looked like they were up to something, so I—"

"Alice, Rosalie isn't going to do anything to me at school."

"I don't know. Rosalie is kind of diabolical."

"Whatever. If she wanted to hit me, she had the opportunity to do it that day at the store and she didn't. I doubt she'll do it now, in front of an audience." Bella shrugged.

Alice looked over at Bella and grinned, encouraged by her strength.

"So, your house tonight, right?" Alice asked.

"Yeah. What do you want to do?" Bella asked.

"I don't know. We'll figure something out." Alice said as she steered Bella towards the campus. Despite Bella's non-existent fear, Alice moved in the opposite direction as Rosalie.

********

It had only been a half hour into his first class and already Jasper was fighting the desire to put his head down on his desk and fall asleep. He was just about to drift off to dreamland when he felt a rather obnoxious pluck against his ear. Startled, he sat up straight before turning to his right in anger and irritation. Edward was sitting next to him beaming like a fool.

"What the hell?" Jasper looked between Edward and the teacher. "What are you doing in here?"

"I'm early." Edward said.

"She's going to kick you out of the class." Jasper pointed at Miss Hill, the instructor.

"Are you kidding? She's as blind as a wombat. She doesn't even know I'm not in this class." Edward shirked it off.

"And why are you in this class?" Jasper questioned.

"Bored." Edward stated like it was the most normal thing in the world for him to appear in a class that he didn't have to be in.

Jasper rolled his eyes. "Is this about Bella?" he summed up.

Edward shook his head, but the expression on his face defied him. "But I did talk to her."

"You did?" Jasper asked, forgetting that he wasn't supposed to be interested. "What'd you say?"

"I said 'hey'." Edward answered as if Jasper should have known.

"And…" Jasper gestured for Edward to continue.

"And that's it."

"Did she say anything back?"

"She said hi…or something like that."

"Okay. Cool."

"Cool nothing. What's next? I'm not doing this shit for my health. I need to know what the next step is."

"Okay, now you need to talk to her. Not a long conversation. Just something to let her know you were thinking about her. Tell her you like her hair or something, girls love that shit." Jasper said.

"Young man?"

Edward looked up to see Miss Hill peering down at him. "Are you in this class now? Because I have no notification from the office of any additions."

"Um…no. I just needed to get some notes from Jasper." Edward fabricated.

"Well that is something you'll need to do on your own time, not mine." Miss Hill reprimanded. With the hand that wasn't holding a sullied dry erase marker, she pointed towards the door, signaling to Edward that it was time to go.

Even though Edward was unclear as to exactly what Jasper meant, he didn't have time to ask questions because not only did Miss Hill send him packing, but Bella was also at her locker just as Edward emerged from Jasper's classroom.

A sense of urgency had overcome Edward over the last few days. The slow progress he was making with Bella, thanks to Jasper's rules, and the aching pain he felt at Bella's absence, propelled Edward to work as quickly as possible. So without really thinking through what he was going to say, Edward found himself before Bella in the middle of the first hour of school, with no other students present. He thought his timing couldn't have been more perfect.

"Bella?" he approached her slowly.

Bella turned and stared at Edward as if she's seen an apparition. "Edward?"

"Yeah…um…hi," he said.

"Hi." She continued to stare at him curiously, every so often casting looks down the deserted halls.

"So, um…listen…I…uh…miss your hair…I mean…your hair is…" Edward grimaced in frustration at the idiotic words that were coming out of his mouth. _I should have figured out what I was going to say!_

Bella stepped away from Edward, her eyes wide and disbelieving. "I have to go," she mumbled.

"No, wait, Bella," Edward said quickly.

"Don't, Edward. I'm not doing…this." She waved her hand between the two of them as an indicator of her words.

And she was gone, leaving Edward to stand there and mull over his perfect fucking timing.

********

Stupid. That one word summed up exactly how Bella felt when Edward had approached her at her locker.

At first she'd thought she was imagining him. After all, how likely was it that he'd known the exact moment her teacher had allowed her to go to her locker to get discussion notes?

But then he'd started in on her hair, and she had high doubts he meant the hair on her head. Just in case she'd thought his casual hello the other day had been a peace offering, he was making it known that he meant nothing of the sort. He was letting her know that the rumors were true: he was Edward-freaking-Cullen, the heartless cad that evaded love at all costs.

However, in true-Bella fashion, instead of acknowledge anger or bewilderment, she tucked her feelings deep within and endured the rest of the day – careful to avoid all sights and sounds of Edward.

When Mike Newton approached her with a thinly veiled offer to drop another job application by her house (the first one she turned in was mysteriously misplaced), Bella managed to hold him off, with neither an acceptance nor denial.

When Jasper came up to her and Alice later in the afternoon, Bella almost folded over into herself with worry. Where there was a Jasper, there was an Edward and the last thing Bella wanted was humiliation with an audience.

"So, Bella. What are you two gonna do tonight?" Jasper asked her point blank.

Still not used to being addressed directly by Jasper, Bella stared stoically at him for a moment before she shrugged her shoulders and looked to Alice for confirmation. "Uh…just hang out?"

"We're loose about it," Alice nodded, but she was looking at Bella strangely. "You're still up for it, aren't you Bella?"

"Yeah…uh…but I'll catch up with you afterschool. I have to get going," Bella said as she walked away from them. She could hear Jasper asking Alice what the issue was as she left their company.

_Too bad I can't even begin to answer that._

When Alice arrived at the Swan home shortly before it would be time for dinner, Bella was sure she'd assault her with questions about her strange behavior, but Alice did no such thing. Instead, she held up a bag of take-out from Shang Hai, Forks' poor excuse for Asian cuisine, before raiding Bella's DVD library.

"Oooh, 80's! I love John Hughes!" Alice said as she pulled out a stack of DVD's. "Oh, the holy trinity, right here, baby: Pretty in Pink, Ferris Bueller and The Breakfast Club." Alice held up the three titles.

"More like, 'Some Kind of Wonderful', 'The Breakfast Club' and 'Christmas Vacation'." Bella countered.

"Well at least we can agree on one. Breakfast Club it is." Alice popped in the DVD.

And just like that, the tension was gone and the evening was off to a flawless start. In fact, their companionship was so effortless that the conversation that ensued after the movie ended seemed natural and flowing.

"I hate high school," Alice said. "And it's really depressing to see that after over twenty years, it still hasn't gotten any better."

"Tell me about it. I'm still hoping for a _high-school pill_ or some shit, where equivalency is rendered over months instead of years."

"Well I do declare, Bella Swan, did you just swear?" Alice asked with faux offense.

"I swear all the time. Why do people always think I don't?" Bella laughed.

"I don't remember ever hearing you cuss. Edward must have rubbed off on you. I swear that boy's first word was the f-word." Alice noticed that Bella's expression seemed troubled by her words. "Oh, sorry, Bella. I didn't mean to mention…"

"No, it's okay. It's no big deal." Bella attempted a smile but it lacked any convincing luster.

Maybe it was the MSG, or the confidence-bearing nature inspired by the Breakfast Club, or the intuition that told her that Bella _really_ needed to talk; maybe one or all of those things caused Alice to break her hard and fast rule of not talking about Edward.

"Was he your first?" Alice asked instead of assumed. She wanted to give Bella the option of not answering.

Bella nodded, mistaking Alice's question to be about boyfriends and relationship status, as opposed to sexual parameters.

"They don't call your first time painful for nothing." Alice smiled with empathy.

It was then that Bella realized she and Alice weren't speaking about the same thing. "Oh, I thought you meant first boyfriend. Edward was my first boyfriend. Not my first…you know." Bella clarified.

"Oh." Alice sat up straighter in her chair. "So who was your first…you know?" Alice winked. "Jasper was mine."

Bella shook her head. "There is no first. It…hasn't happened yet." She wasn't at all embarrassed by this admission, but she was by Alice's reaction to it.

"You're still a virgin?" Alice was now standing.

"Yep." Bella nodded with confidence.

"You and Edward…you're still a virgin?" Alice paced the small living room and stared at the walls in disbelief as she spoke.

"I did not have sex with Edward, "Bella said, as if stating it differently would be better digested by Alice.

"Wow. I didn't think Edward was capable of a non-physical relationship." Alice stated.

"We did other things. Just not…_that._" Bella elaborated.

Alice sat down in close proximity to Bella, as if her nearness would encourage more forthrightness on Bella's part. "If you don't mind my asking…what happened? How come you broke up with him?"

Bella sighed audibly and shifted her position on the couch to a more comfortable one. Without looking at Alice, she answered, "I don't know."

"You don't know?" Alice repeated. "Did you have a fight? Was it about the video?"

When Bella looked up, Alice could see that she had tears in her eyes. Bella stared at the ceiling in an effort to keep the tears from rolling down her cheeks. She shook her head 'no' for a long while before speaking.

"It's because I'm stupid." She finally looked at Alice. "I was so … I don't even know what to call it…scared, jealous, angry…I don't even know!" Bella put her face in her hands for a moment before sitting up straight. "That crap with Rosalie…I was so afraid that I'd tell Edward I didn't care and then it would be this _thing_ that festered between us…but then it would be too late to tell him how I felt about it…"

"So you broke up over the video?" Alice was having a hard time following Bella's rambling.

"No," Bella stalled. "We broke up because…I was a jealous hag who couldn't accept the fact that Edward had a past."

"You didn't know?" Alice asked.

Bella shrugged. "Kind of. But it really didn't bother me, except for Rosalie. And when I asked him about it, he said nothing happened between them."

"So he lied." Alice stated flatly.

Bella nodded.

"So are you mad because he hooked up with Rosalie or mad because he hooked up with Rosalie and lied about it?"

"Both." Bella whispered.

Alice began to make a pretense of dry heaving. "I can't believe I'm about to do this," _wheezing hack. _"I'm actually about to defend…_hack, cough, _Edward…" Alice placed her forehead in her hands.

"I know what you're going to say," Bella stopped her.

"That it's not fair for you to be upset with Edward about his past?" Alice asked.

Bella nodded sheepishly.

"And while you have the right to rip him a new one about lying to you, he shouldn't really be obligated to give you deets about B.B. girls." Alice went on. "And just in case you're wondering, B.B. stands for _before Bella_."

"Well, it doesn't matter anyway because Edward has made it clear in no uncertain terms that he hates me." Bella said.

Alice stared down at her recently painted toenails as she chose her words wisely. She doubted Jasper would consider her next sentence as interference.

"Edward hates just about everybody. But I have it on good authority that some people don't think that includes you."

*******

Edward paced in front of the bus stop angrily as he awaited his ride to Pipeline. That son-of-a-bitch Jasper was lucky Edward didn't find him afterschool and beat his skinny ass to a pulp.

"Fuckin' talk to her," Edward mimicked Jasper to an empty bench. "That shit went over real well."

Just thinking about the way Bella had brushed him off made Edward want to put his fist through something. He was contemplating tearing into the bus stop overhang when the bus squealed and shimmied to a stop before him.

If Jasper had given Edward a reason to rage, Brian gave him a reason to rejoice once Edward arrived for his assigned shift.

"Are you kidding me?" Edward asked in disbelief.

"Absolutely not," Brian grinned. "It's payday for everyone else. It might as well be time for your compensation as well."

Edward walked over to his car and laid his hands upon it. "Man, I thought I'd be working here forever before I got to start fixing on my car."

Brian smiled as he handed Edward what looked like a small anvil and a flat hammer.

"What do we do with these?" Edward asked.

"_WE_, meaning _you_, are going to put this hammering dolly underneath the dent like this, and then you'll take this body hammer and slowly tap out the dent. See?" Brian gave a short demonstration.

Edward rolled up his sleeves and accepted the tools from Brian. "Good. I was in the mood to hit something today."

"Isn't that what got you into this mess in the first place?" Brian grinned over the hood at Edward.

Embarrassed, Edward set to silently tapping the hood of his car, just like he'd been shown. The methodical nature of the work he was doing acted as a calming agent for Edward, and in no time at all, the urge to smash and destroy was overcome by pride of workmanship.

He'd worked straight through two hours before Brian came up to him and asked him if he'd like to take a break.

"No, I'm good," Edward said.

"Still, take a break." Brian insisted. "For your hands' sake."

Brian handed Edward a root beer before pulling up a stool and sitting down next to him. "You do good work, there, Edward." Brian nodded toward the hood. "You're going to finish this up in no time at all."

"Really?" Edward didn't think he'd come that far, but if Brian thought he had, well then, it must be so.

"Yep," Brian paused for a swig of his drink. "So, what's the first thing you're going to do once you get her good as new?"

"Get my license." Edward laughed.

"Yeah. Can't take out the girl without a license."

"Can't take out the girl without a girl."

"What? A young looker like you doesn't have a girl? What's going on there?"

Edward looked down at the frosty bottle in his hands. "I'm working on it."

"It's the truck, isn't it?" Brian eyed Edward suspiciously.

Edward looked at Brian skeptically. "What truck?"

"The one you offered to donate time towards. Belong to your girl?"

"Oh…yeah."

"Well, with a few more grand gestures like that, I'm sure she'll be back in your arms in no time."

When the topic of conversation had begun to run a path in the direction of Bella, Edward had become immediately uncomfortable. But now Brian's words rung of hope and Edward was momentarily interested.

"What do you mean by grand gestures?" Edward asked.

"Efforts of the heart, my friend." Brian answered.

Edward muttered in disgruntlement. "I tried that. It doesn't work."

"Oh yeah? What have your tried?" Brian's tone was challenging.

"I looked at her…said hello…tried to talk to her…" As he gave the list to Brian, Edward suddenly was overcome with embarrassment. "Man, that fuckin' Jasper…got me acting like a fuckin' bitch…" Edward muttered. He glanced over at Brian and saw his feelings reflected in his eyes.

"You did _what?_" Brian asked in amusement.

"Nothing." Edward muttered.

"That's right. You did nothing. Because I do those same things you just said to my neighbor Myrtle every morning and I'm pretty sure that she doesn't think I'm interested in her at all."

"Jasper said to start slow. He said if I overwhelmed her she wouldn't know how to take it."

"How old is Jasper?"

"Seventeen."

"Yeah, well he sounds about as wise as his years," Brian laughed. "Look, Edward. You seem like a smart kid. But if you'll let me, I'd like to give you two bits of advice."

It wasn't until Edward looked over at Brian that he realized his boss was waiting for permission to proceed.

"Yeah, sure," Edward shrugged his acceptance.

"First, if you want to be successful in life, you're going to have to tone down that temper of yours, and I do mean immediately. Otherwise it'll be nothing but trouble for you. And in a few months time, those little stunts you pull are going to wind up on your permanent record. And second," Brian grinned as he put his hand on Edward's shoulder knowing that he only really cared about 'the second' bit of information, "girls like grand gestures, Edward. If this girl is really important to you, then you need to let her know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that she is what you want."

"And that will definitely work?" Edward asked.

Brian shook his head. "There are no definites in life, Son. But let me ask you something. Do you know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, how this girl feels about you?"

"No." Edward shook his head.

"Well grand gestures will definitely get you _that_."

********

The night at Bella's had ended awkwardly. After their swapping of confidences, Alice and Bella had settled into an uncomfortable silence that could only be remedied by calling it a night and going to sleep. Despite that, both Alice and Bella were beyond tired the next morning. Their low energy was a great excuse not to talk much on the drive to school, and when they arrived at their destination, they immediately went separate ways, Bella to the library and Alice to the smoking rock, where she was sure she'd find Jasper.

She was right.

"Okay, I'm going to say this once, and one time only," Alice said as she walked up to him and put her head on his shoulder. "You may have been right about the Edward-Bella situation."

"Did she talk? She wants him, doesn't she?" Jasper asked as he put his arms around Alice. "I can't wait to tell Edward that I was right."

"No. You can't say anything. Because she didn't really say how she felt. I'm speculating. Besides…I get the feeling she's not ready to disclose that to him or anyone else." Alice lifted her head slightly to look at Jasper. "Did you know they didn't have sex?"

However, there wasn't time for Jasper to answer that question before Edward walked up. His stride was quick and calculated, and he looked like he had something to say, until he saw Alice.

Instead of speaking, he glared at Jasper for a moment before reaching into his jacket and pulling out a cigarette. He shoved it in his mouth as if it were a stopper; a restraint against a verbal assault that was aching to be released.

"What's up?" Jasper asked ignorantly.

Edward slid him a sideways glance before returning to stare off into the distance.

When Edward didn't offer any communication, Jasper turned his attention back to Alice. His hand rubbed small circles on her back and she let out a soft contented sigh that resembled a purr.

"Didn't get much sleep last night?" Jasper asked.

"I did. I don't know why I'm so tired." Alice shook her head.

"Oh would you two cut it out," Edward spat. "I don't need to hear about how your sexual escapades kept you up all night."

"For your information," Alice straightened up to look Edward in the eye, "I was at Bella's. I'm staying with her for the rest of the week." Alice slightly winced as she stated the latter. "Although I don't know if my ears can take it. Granted, Bella has awesome taste in music when she's awake, but the shit she chooses to go to sleep to…dear lord, even my dad wouldn't listen to it."

"Yeah, she likes to listen to…" It was almost as if Edward didn't realize he was the one that was speaking. As soon as the revelation occurred, he shut his mouth as if he'd never opened it in the first place. He looked slightly humiliated as he allowed his gaze to linger on Alice for a short while, before he quickly snubbed out his cigarette and stalked off.

Alice wondered what was going through his mind as she watched Edward disappear around the corner. She wasn't going to pretend that she suddenly liked him, because she didn't. And she certainly wasn't any less annoyed that Jasper had insinuated they were alike. _But_ as a person who had once deeply hurt someone she cared about so much, Alice recognized the emotion of loss in Edward's eyes, even if he had only shared it with her for a brief moment.

*******

Grand gestures.

First Jasper's words, and now Brian's had left Edward in a state of quandary. And each time, Edward neglected to ask questions that would paint a clearer picture of what was expected of him where Bella was concerned. However, now, after talking to Brian, Edward was convinced that Jasper had him "majoring in the minors" with Bella. There wasn't time to focus on short-term tidbits that barely registered on Bella's radar screen. No. Like Brian had said, Edward needed to do something grand. Something big that would earn him a place in her memory, and if he was lucky, her heart.

But what, exactly, he had no idea.

Fortunately, a brief run-in and an idle threat from Alice spurred a plan.

It was just after the last bell had rung and Edward made his way to Jasper's car in the student parking lot. Alice was already there waiting but when she saw Edward she looked less than impressed.

"He's not with you?" Alice spoke of her boyfriend.

"Do you see him?" Edward asked sarcastically. When he saw the expression on Alice's face that communicated that she was not in the mood for his verbal sparring, he relented and told her that he had to deliver something to the office.

"Okay, well can you just tell him to call me? I tried his cell and it went straight to voicemail. We were supposed to get something to eat, but I don't think Bella feels like…going out." Alice whispered the last two words as she wondered if she should be telling Edward anything at all about Bella.

It was an unnecessary concern, however, because Edward didn't appear to have heard a word she'd said. He was too busy staring over Alice's shoulder and three cars away, where Bella sat in the front passenger seat of Alice's Porsche.

"Are you ever going to tell her you're sorry?" Alice asked after Edward caught her watching him.

Edward shrugged. "I don't think she wants to hear it."

"Okay, I'm going to pretend that you didn't just say something so fucktastically ridiculous." Alice put her hand in front of Edward's face and he swatted it away in annoyance.

"And just in case you do decide to come down off your high horse and apologize," Alice prattled on, "I suggest doing it in a way that even you can't mess up, because, aside from Jasper, Bella is the nicest person I've ever met and she deserves _at least_ that."

It irritated Edward that Alice was being so condescending. Of course he fucking wanted to apologize to Bella! But he'd tried talking to her and that didn't work, and writing her a letter was out of the question. Even if he did humble himself enough to attempt it, Bella would have long graduated high school by the time he'd completed it.

But before Edward could begin to pity himself due to his limitations, he happened one more glance over at Bella. She was hiding behind a curtain of hair, fiddling with Alice's radio.

Bingo.

"Alice," Edward tuned in long enough to realize he'd cut her off mid-rant. "If you do one thing for me, I promise I'll never ask you for anything else for as long as you live."

"I'm going to hold you to that. What do you want?" Alice asked.

"Can you make sure Bella is listening to that crappy radio station tonight?"


	26. Chapter 26

**I usually don't do the music thing, but it is kind of central to this chapter. Therefore , if you'd like to listen to the song mentioned in this chapter, visit my livejournal site to read the chapter there. The address is listed in my profile as well: http:// itzmegan73 (dot) livejournal (dot) com (/) 9556 (dot) html**

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**The Tutor**

**Chapter 26 – Breakin' Me**

Love is an incorrigible force. As an inductee into its fraternity you must go through a hazing process of humiliating, soul-bearing, defeat. A process that leaves you raw and bare, and yet, that's only the beginning.

Edward found himself at the beginning.

"Thank you for calling KXXO this is Bo."

"Uh…yeah. I want, uh…I need…um, can I dedicate a song to someone?" Edward stuttered through his sentence.

"Sure. What would you like to hear?" Bo asked.

"Actually, it's for that night time program you have." Edward said.

"Night Mix. Yeah."

"Uh huh. Do I have to call back then to dedicate a song, or can I do it now?"

"Sure, I can take your dedication now. What's your name?" She asked.

"Edward. And will it for sure get played? Because I need it to be done."

Bo seemed amused by Edward's persistence. "I promise I'll play your dedication, but first you have to tell me what it is. What do you want to say?"

"Well…It's for my… for Bella. Um…just tell her the song says everything I can't." Edward stated.

"I'm not going to tell her. You are. So say it like you're talking to her." Bo instructed.

"Bella, please listen to the words. They say everything I can't," Edward stated. "Like that?"

"Yep, just like that."

"Wait, you wrote that down, right? You're not recording this are you?"

Bo laughed at Edward's nervousness. "Edward what do you think this is, a radio station?

Edward laughed slightly, but he didn't know what was supposed to be so funny. _Was she kidding? _

"Edward?"

"Huh?"

"Your song. What's your song?"

"Oh, yeah." Now it was Edward's turn to laugh at his own nervousness. After all, the song was the reason he'd called in the first place. He quickly rattled off his choice, and when Bo assured him she had it, and told him it was a great choice, Edward's confidence increased just a notch. Maybe this would work.

*******

As soon as Alice had returned to her car from speaking with Edward, Bella noticed that she was acting rather strangely. First, Bella had to actually ask what Edward was saying. It was odd that Alice didn't volunteer the information after their late night confessional the day before. Alice merely said she had a message for Jasper. While that alone wasn't much cause for alarm, Alice continued to zone out and laugh aloud in random bouts, to nothing in particular. By the time they made it to Bella's house, Bella had just about had her fill of the laughter and cryptic messages.

"Let's go out. I'm tired of hanging around my house," Bella sighed.

"No!" Alice cried over-enthusiastically. "Um…why don't we just hang here?"

"Because you've been complaining that I never want to leave the house. I thought you said Jasper wanted us to go out to dinner." Bella reminded her.

"He changed his mind. And so did I. Let's stay in. Why don't we watch…um, Say Anything. You have that movie, right?"

"Uh. John Cusack. Not my favorite." Bella frowned.

"What? That movie is awesome! When he holds that radio up, gah," Alice holds her hands to her heart. "That is one of the greatest moments in cinema history!"

"It was okay."

"Okay? Just okay? You obviously have never had someone do something so romantic like that for you."

"Have you?" Bella asked dubiously.

"Not the point. I don't need to have experienced it to recognize the heart behind the motive. You, on the other hand…" Alice trailed off when she saw that Bella was no longer paying attention to her.

"Fine. Here's your lovey-dovey movie." She said, flicking the over-discussed DVD at Alice.

Truth be told, Bella wasn't really in the mood to watch couples reconciling on screen. It was just a reminder of how far from screen-worthy her life was. And then, Alice decides that she wants to have another conversation about Bella's love-loss.

"You know, I think I liked you better when you didn't want to talk about Edward." Bella hinted.

Alice rolled her eyes. "I don't want to talk about Edward. I want to talk about _you._" Alice emphasized. "Are you done…with the whole Edward situation?"

"It kind of takes two people to be in a relationship, so I can't really make that decision on my own," Bella avoided answering.

Alice was relentless. "C'mon, Bella. Just answer the question. If you could have your way, would you take Edward back?"

In answer to the question, Bella considered listing off the vast number of things that would have to change before Bella welcomed Edward back into her good graces. For one, he'd have to stop swearing at her. He'd need to calm down a bit on the whole sex thing. She wasn't ready, how many times did she have to say it? He'd also have to purge all images of Rosalie naked out of his mind and vocabulary. Oh, and the temper. He'd definitely have to get it under control. After all, any _sane_ person would require these things, right?

"I've asked myself this question over and over," Bella spoke softly. "Because Edward said some pretty mean things. But at the end of the day, I still feel like I know his heart, and I still want it…because he still has mine."

Bella braced herself for Alice to tell her how stupid she was. She waited to hear that Edward was an immature jerk and that Bella should hold out for someone who treated her like a princess.

"Well I don't want to be treated like a princess!" Bella rebutted.

"Um…oo-kkaayy." Alice drew out the syllables.

It was then that Bella realized that Alice hadn't spoken. She was simply sitting before Bella, grinning like a bum with a buck and a blanket.

"So what time does that crazy music program you listen to start? I've kinda had a few of those songs in my head, and I really want to listen to that station." Alice stated as she positioned herself to head up to Bella's room. "You coming?"

********

Carlisle couldn't remember the last time he'd been so tired. Maybe it was in the early days of his residency, when he'd spent so many hours at the hospital that he didn't even bother coming home, but slept on a small cot in the doctor's lounge.

It was vacation season and the hospital was running as lean as possible. Factor in illness and unforeseen occurrences, and Carlisle saw more than his fair share of the ward walls over the week. He could tell that Esme was getting exasperated by his long hours. Although she hadn't said anything, she looked disheartened every time Carlisle told her how late he'd be coming home. And he usually came home even later than that.

Luckily, Edward seemed to be keeping himself out of trouble and Maddie, her usual chipper self, had managed not to come down with any major illnesses.

"Hey," Carlisle offered a limp wave as he walked past Esme on his way to his office.

"I kept dinner warm for you," she called after his retreating figure.

"Thanks. I'll just be a minute. I have to update some notes," Carlisle said over his shoulder. His voice was tainted with weariness.

It's possible that Carlisle dosed off while he sat in his overstuffed leather office chair. The next thing he knew, Esme was setting a steaming plate of roast and vegetables in front of him.

"Oh, sorry," he apologized. "What time is it?"

"Almost eight." Esme answered as she placed a napkin and silverware next to the plate. "I'll bring you some iced tea."

She turned to leave and Carlisle grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him. "Come here," he softly requested. After moving his chair back slightly, he positioned himself so that Esme could perch upon his knee comfortably. "I promise, these long hours are going to stop soon."

"I know that," Esme offered a weak smile as she put her arm around her husband's shoulders reassuringly.

Carlisle placed his finger gently under her chin and guided her face down towards his. He'd intended for it to be a swift, chaste kiss – enough to let his wife know that he loved and missed her. But Esme deepened the kiss and Carlisle was able to sense her loneliness and desire as her lips played upon his. His wife had missed him, too.

"I'm so tired, I don't even think I could make it up the stairs," Carlisle murmured as Esme began to unbutton his shirt.

"It's okay. We're fine right here," Esme whispered in response.

"Where are the kids?"

"Maddie's in bed asleep and Edward's settled in for the night. He probably won't emerge until tomorrow morning."

Exhaustion aside, Carlisle's body immediately responded to his wife as she straddled his lap and made quick work of the enclosure of his pants. With all of his remaining stamina, Carlisle helped his wife disrobe and made love to her in the way he knew she needed him to.

"Hey, does anyone have a regular radio – oh shit!"

Before Carlisle and Esme could comprehend what had just happened, Edward was attempting to retreat from the office and gouge his eyes out at the same time.

The adrenaline rush from the embarrassment of discovery was just what Carlisle needed to summon up the energy to make it upstairs.

"I bet he'll think twice before he walks into my office again without knocking," Carlisle laughed as he followed his wife into their bedroom. This time they made sure to lock the door.

********

"Alice, I'm tired," Bella whined when Alice continued to talk her ear off about nonsensical matters. "I need to turn off the light and get to bed."

"Okay, well, let me just call Jasper and tell him goodnight. I also want him to hear this song. Damn, Bella. I think you're onto something with this station. Some of this music is really soothing."

"I get it, Alice. You like the radio station – a fact you've been trying to convince me of for the last hour and a half. Get some sleep already. We _do _have school in the morning."

Bella only half-listened as Alice spoke to Jasper in a low, cooing tone. Before hanging up, Alice told him to respond to her text message. Bella thought it was odd that Alice would need to send Jasper a text message after just having spoke to him on the phone, but then she realized that Alice probably wanted to say something mushy and didn't want to make Bella uncomfortable.

Instead of ask about it, Bella waited until Alice was done fiddling with her phone before she turned off her light and attempted to get some sleep.

"Um, Bella? I can't really hear the radio. Can you turn it up a little?" Alice's soft tone broke through the darkness.

"Alice, if I turn it up any louder, the neighbors are going to be able to hear it." Bella was beyond irritated at this point.

"Oh. Okay."

But then Alice began to hum along to a tune that she didn't really know, obviously trying to keep herself awake.

Bella decided to put them both out of their misery by turning off the radio.

Her hand hovered mere inches above the off-switch when she heard her name. Then she heard _his_ voice.

Bella shot straight up in her bed and turned up the music. Alice turned on the light.

_"I'm not going to tell her. You are. So say it like you're talking to her." The radio DJ instructed._

_"Bella, please listen to the words. They say everything I can't," Edward's voice said uncertainly. "Like that?"_

"Yep, just like that." The DJ affirmed. "So, Bella, this goes out to you from your Edward. I hope you're listening tonight. Here's 'Breakin' Me' by Jonny Lang."

After the shock and surreal nature of the moment wore off, Bella closed her eyes and focused on the lyrics, just as Edward had requested:

_**Every day I see your face, I wish that I'd stayed  
Don't even know what made me run away  
It's just the way I play the **__**game**_

_**  
Emotional is not a word I'd use to explain myself  
But now you got me down upon my knees  
Oh, **__**baby**_

_**, please just take me back  
I don't want to **__**be in love**__**, but you're makin' me  
Let me up, I've had enough  
Girl, you're breakin' me**_

_**Here I am, just half a man standing alone  
Feeling like I lost my only chance at happiness  
When I let you go**_

_**  
I don't want to be alone, thinkin' 'bout you girl  
I got nothin' left to hold in my lonely world**__**love**__**  
I can feel it in my flesh, my flesh and blood  
But my soul can only take so much**_

_**The first time my heart was ever touched  
Was the day I lost your**_

_**So there it is, why can't you give it one more try  
You and I could find a way to live  
If you let me in just one more time**_

_**  
I know you lost your faith in me  
But I still believe  
Can I make you understand, can I make you see?  
I am desperate for your **__**love**__**  
And it's breakin' me  
It's breakin' me**_

Alice tried her hardest to ignore the tears that were streaming down Bella's face while she listened, eyes closed and oblivious.

"Alice…" Bella shut off the radio as soon as the song ended. "Is this why you wanted to watch 'Say Anything'?"

Alice pretended that she had something in her eyes as she wiped at them quickly. "Seriously. Do I look like the kind of girl who would watch that movie? As if." But then she smiled, as if to take it back. "So now what?"

********

Edward had left the house early for school, and Esme was sure it had something to do with the compromising position he'd found his parents in the previous night. Just the thought of it made Esme smile. It had been a while since she and Carlisle had done something so "colorful" outside the confines of their bedroom. It made her feel _alive._

"Hey, beautiful," Carlisle greeted as he leaned in and pressed his lips and his body against his wife.

"Hey yourself," Esme returned. "Do you have time for breakfast?"

"I do." Carlisle smiled as he sat down at the small kitchen table and crossed his legs at the ankles. "I'm not going in today."

Esme felt a weight she didn't even know she was harboring lift from her shoulders.

"Oh, Carlisle, that's wonderful!" she beamed. "What do you have planned for the rest of the day?"

"Nothing. Just relax and spend time with my wife." Carlisle looked at Esme coyly. "Where's Edward?"

Esme laughed out loud, knowing her husband wasn't really as interested in his son's whereabouts as he was in letting his wife know that he planned a repeat of last night's encounter.

And he wasn't the only one asking after Edward.

The morning sun made a rare appearance in Forks, ousting the clouds and moisture in its presence. Still, it was too early for visitors and Esme and Carlisle shared curious glances when they heard their doorbell sound.

"Bella?" It had been many weeks and Esme was beyond shocked to see the young lady on her porch.

"Hi, Mrs. Cullen. Uh…is Edward home?" Bella asked nervously.

A quick glance over Bella's shoulder revealed a flaming yellow sports car parked in the Cullen driveway. Esme recognized Alice in the driver's seat.

"I'm sorry. Edward has already left for school."

"Oh," Bella was disappointed.

"I'm sure you'll be early enough to catch him before class starts." Esme took in the forlorn expression on Bella's face and wanted to help.

"I don't know if that…I don't really know if that would be the best place to…" Bella frowned at the way she was straining for words.

"If you'd like, you can write him a note. He won't get it until after school, though." Esme suggested.

Bella looked up at her sharply. Surely Esme knew as well as, if not better than, Bella what a challenge reading was for Edward. Why would she suggest such a thing?

The question was evidently displayed on Bella's face, because Esme answered without her even having to answer it.

"He reads when he has to, Bella." She said quietly, even though it was a long shot that Alice would overhear.

And suddenly it seemed like a good idea. Because not only would Bella most likely be able to say what she needed to say on paper, but she would also be able to communicate what wasn't written there as well: she had not lost her faith in him.

"I'll be right back," Bella said as she ran back to Alice's car.

********

"Bella, we're going to be late." Alice was trying to be as patient and unintrusive as she possibly could while Bella scribbled, scratched, and scribbled some more on a small piece of paper she'd found in her backpack. "I could drive to school and you could give it to him there."

"No. I don't want this at school." Bella shook her head as she re-read what she'd written.

Finally she folded the note up and headed back up to the Cullens' door. Esme accepted the paper, gave Bella a hug, and promised that it would be given to Edward as soon as he came home.

"So, if everything you want to say to Edward is in that note, what are you going to say when you see him at school?" Alice wanted to know.

Bella didn't have a quick answer, but fortunately for her, she didn't need one.

Edward wasn't at school.

********

Edward had expected his phone to ring last night. When it remained silent, he'd had a fitful nights rest, having slept only about three hours before his eyes popped open and mutinied against any additional slumber.

Sometimes Bella made it to school early, and he thought maybe she'd be there waiting for him. Instead, one of the freshmen girls asked him if he was the Edward that had made a song dedication on the radio last night.

Edward didn't answer her and as he walked away, he made sure to avoid as much of the student body as possible as he headed towards Bella's locker.

The first morning bell rang without a sighting of Bella, but a group of sophomores asked Edward if he listened to Night Mix.

He left the campus before the last bell sounded.

He didn't even realize where he was going until he showed up at Pipeline twenty minutes later. Brian wasn't in, but Troy, one of the other mechanics nodded in acknowledgement as Edward entered and made his way back towards his car. He pulled out the tapping block and body hammer from the tool drawer and set to work, pounding in tune to the agony of his thoughts.

"Edward? What are you doing here so early?" Brian had arrived at work and had spotted Edward almost immediately.

Edward looked at the clock in hopeful anticipation, but his excitement flat-lined when he saw that only mere minutes had passed.

"Uh, I didn't really feel well enough to be at school." The lie wouldn't come fast enough.

"Then you don't fell well enough to be here," Brian thumbed toward the door. "No school, no shop. You know the rules."

_Damn work permit._

As Edward stepped off the bus down the road from his house, he rationalized that he really didn't feel well. He probably even looked sick, thanks to the minute amount of sleep he'd gotten during the night. He was sure that he could sleep for hours once he dragged himself up the stairs to his bedroom.

And the overwhelming desire to escape the failure of his grand gesture had absolutely nothing to do with it.

"Hello? Anybody home?" Edward called loudly as he walked into his house. He wanted desperately to avoid anymore run-ins with scantly-clad parents.

Esme appeared from the den almost immediately (thankfully, fully clothed).

"What's wrong? Why are you home?" she fretted over Edward.

"I don't feel good." Edward contorted his face to show his pain and suffering.

Esme put her hand on Edward's face, first feeling his forehead, then his cheeks. "Well you don't have a fever. How'd you get dismissed from school?"

"I started feeling queasy and left before school started." Edward answered. It was vague, and therefore, technically the truth. After all, the thought of other students knowing he'd dedicated a song to Bella on the radio _had_ made him queasy.

"Okay, go on up," Esme indicated towards his bedroom, but not before giving Edward a look that let him know she didn't believe he was sick for a second.

"Does this have anything to do with Bella?" Esme called up to him when Edward had made it to the middle of the staircase.

Edward flinched at her words. _Had she heard the dedication, too?_

"No. Why would this have anything to do with her?" Edward wanted to kick himself after that last question had left his lips. His mother just might answer him, and then he'd know for sure that she also knew what he'd done.

"I just wondered. You're acting strangely, and then, after not seeing Bella around for awhile, she pops by this morning after you'd already left for school…early, I might add." Esme smiled slightly as she spoke.

Edward had descended the stairs and was standing in front of Esme in less than two seconds.

"What do you mean Bella was here?" Edward asked quickly. "What'd she say?"

"She came by this morning." Esme said nonchalantly. "When I told her you weren't here, she left you a note. It's on the bulletin board in the kitchen."

Edward tore into the kitchen, forgetting his illness and exhaustion. A small piece of paper called to him from its place on the small corkboard by the phone. He lifted the red pin that held the note in place and was too anxious to wait until he was in his bedroom, so he snuck off into the den to face his destiny.

He reappeared before Esme a few minutes later.

"What's this word?" he pointed to the paper. "Just this word, don't read anything else."

"Dedication." Esme told him.

"And this one?" Edward pointed to another.

"Speechless." Esme read.

Edward went back into the den.

Esme watched from the doorway as Edward sat hunched over the paper, trailing his finger along each line of text, just like the literacy coach had instructed him to.

She lingered there, waiting, in case Edward needed help on another word, but he asked for nothing additional.

Silently, Edward's eyes scanned the paper, over and over again. When he'd reach the bottom of the note, he'd start back at the top, as if he was reading it for the first time.

Finally, Edward sat back in his chair, a smile threatening to erupt across his face. He read the note silently once more, in its entirety, not stopping until he was done:

_**Edward,**_

_**I did go to your house this morning to talk to you, but you weren't there. I hope you don't mind, but I think writing you a letter might be a better idea anyway. Your dedication left me speechless.**_

_**First of all, thank you. That song was beautiful. And I did as you asked; I listened to the words. Where did you find a song that said exactly what you wanted to say? If I could be so lucky, I'd send you a song that told you how sorry I am:**_

_**For caring about things that don't matter;**_

_**For not giving you a chance to talk;**_

_**For being jealous;**_

_**For walking away;**_

_**For not telling you that I'm in love with you, too;**_

_**I don't have a song, but will you still listen to my words?**_

_**Broken too,**_

**Bella**

Edward pulled out his phone and dialed the first four digits of Bella's phone number before he thought better of it. Instead, he flipped it open to reveal the never before used QWERTY keyboard, and sent the first text message of his life:

U MAKE ME UNBRAKEABLE

LOVE EDWARD


	27. Chapter 27 Reinstated

**The Tutor**

**Chapter 27 – Reinstated **

The door to Carlisle's office was slightly ajar, but instead of peer inside, Edward rapped loudly on the jamb.

"Come in," Carlisle's voice wafted through the crevice. His chair made a soft screeching sound as he rolled slightly away from his desk and sat back to casually accept whomever bid entry.

Edward stepped inside and took stance behind one of the guest chairs, leaning his weight against it for support.

"I need a favor." He began.

"Okay," Carlisle looked quizzically amused.

"So, you know how on some TV shows, the parents tell their kids that they can have one 'no-questions-asked freebie?" Edward began.

"Sort of like a Get Out of Jail Free Card?" Carlisle played along.

"Right," Edward stood up straight. "I was wondering if I could get one of those."

"So if I'm hearing you correctly, you want me to allow you to do something without knowing how or why?" Carlisle frowned.

"No, nothing like that. I just want you to let me do something that you normally wouldn't let me do." Edward grinned manipulatively.

"Just cut to the chase, Edward. What do you want?" Carlisle sighed.

"I want to go to Bella's," Edward stated in one breath.

"And…?" Carlisle pressed for more detail.

"And I didn't go to school today." Edward came clean.

Carlisle sat back and shook his head. "Sorry, Edward. You know the rules. No school, no exceptions."

"Aarrgh! Dad, come on!" Edward exhaled in anguish. "You have no idea what I've been through…I have to see Bella. Today."

Carlisle sat silent for a moment, wondering if Edward had realized he'd called him 'Dad', and if so, was it all a part of Edward's plan to get what he wanted?

Carlisle took a brief moment to look over the young man standing before him. Edward looked tired, but there was a rare fire burning in his eyes, a motivating catalyst, that Carlisle had rarely seen. Edward was excited about something.

"Bella, huh?" Carlisle treaded. "You two work out your differences?"

"We're trying to," Edward leaned forward, on edge for Carlisle's final answer.

"I want to get something straight with you," Carlisle put on his best fatherly voice, "I'm only letting you go because—"

"Yes!" Edward interrupted in celebratory exuberance.

"Hold on a minute, Edward," Carlisle held up his hand. "I want to tell you why I'm going to let you break the rules this _one_ time." He paused for effect. "First of all, because you asked. Second, because you've been working very hard lately, and I think you should be rewarded. And lastly, because I think Bella is a nice girl." _And maybe a little bit because you called me 'Dad'. _

********

Alice pulled to a stop in the Swan driveway and put her car in park. Bella hesitated a moment before she stepped out of the low-riding vehicle, her hand resting against the window.

"Um, Alice…" she started.

Alice held up her hand to silence Bella. "Don't worry. I'm just coming inside to get my stuff and then I'll be on my way."

Bella laughed. "How did you know what I was going to say?"

"Because you've had Edward-eyes all afternoon. Am I wrong in assuming that he's on his way over here?"

"Nope. You're not wrong," Bella smiled before being overtaken by nervousness.

_Edward would be here. Soon. How should I act? What will I say? Will we forget about everything in the past? Do we need to talk about this? What if we get into another argument?_

As Alice flitted around the house picking up her possessions that had accumulated there, Bella paced in the small kitchen, unsure of how to proceed with Edward.

"Okay, I'm gonna take off," Alice stated as she jaunted down the stairs with a duffle bag slung over her shoulder. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good." Bella turned and faced Alice. Then she decided to level with her. "Actually, I'm kind of nervous."

"I figured," Alice agreed, "but don't be. You've worked some kind of magic on Edward Cullen. I've never seen him so…human."

Bella scoffed, but Alice shook her head to silence her.

"No, I'm serious," Alice continued. "If you're nervous because you think somehow that you're unworthy, don't be. If anyone is unworthy, it's Edward."

Bella thanked her friend for her kind words and said a quick goodbye, never confirming that Alice had diagnosed her fear with great accuracy. _Please, God, don't let Edward come to the conclusion that I'm not worth all this effort._

Edward arrived almost immediately after Alice pulled away, as if he'd been hiding in the distance, timing his entrance to perfection.

"Hey," he smirked when Bella answered the door.

And just like that, he was back. After all of the agony, tears, harsh words and distant glares, Edward Cullen walked back into Bella's house and the atmosphere welcomed him, like a missing piece of furniture that had been returned after a brief absence.

"Hey," Bella said in return.

Bella moved slightly, not knowing what room of the house they should settle in. She started for the kitchen, but then turned toward the couch – a motion that resulted in nothing but a mere circle, causing Edward to nearly bump into her when she stopped short.

They recognized each other's nervousness for what it was and laughed slightly. It was enough to ease the tension between them.

"Can I get you a drink or something?" Bella asked as her eyes darted toward the kitchen. It was clean enough.

"What do you have?" Edward asked.

"Juice, milk, water, lemonade…" Bella trailed off.

"Lemonade sounds good," Edward said as he followed Bella into the kitchen.

It seemed to take a legion of minutes for Bella to remove a glass from the overhead cabinet, fill it with ice and then lemonade.

When Bella went to hand off the glass, Edward startled her. He was standing right behind her, barely inches of space between them.

"Bella." He said her name softly, but spoke no other words. Instead, with one hand he took the glass and set it on the counter. His other hand reached for Bella's and pulled her into his embrace.

There was no pretense of unawareness for what this moment would entail. Bella closed her eyes and felt, rather than saw, Edward lean in. The scent of him: his hair, his clothes, his skin – it awakened dormant fantasies and painted them with a brushstroke of reality. This was really happening. Edward was really here.

Bella lifted her face to Edward's and shivered the moment his lips were upon hers. Trembling fingers upon trembling hands glided their way up Edward's arms until they lovingly locked around his neck.

Edward's hands slowly slid around Bella's waist. It was a slow and deliberate move, not with wanton abandon. Gradually, he pulled away from the kiss with a sigh and rested his forehead against Bella's.

"Bella, I really am sorry," he whispered sincerely.

Bella nodded. She recognized his remorse. It emanated from his countenance so thickly that she didn't even need to hear the words to know that he meant them.

"I'm sorry, too." Bella wanted to make sure Edward knew she accepted her share of the blame in their breakup.

Edward responded by kissing her again, this time with the passion and yearning of one separated from his object of desire for far too long. Bella kissed him back with the same fervor and just when the longing was almost palpable, Bella pulled back.

"Do you want to go somewhere?" Edward asked. _Bedroom, the couch, empty garage, perhaps…_

"Sure," Bella misunderstood. "I have my dad's car. Let me just change my shirt."

Bella headed up the stairs, leaving Edward down below, wondering what had just transpired.

Upstairs, Bella had barely pulled off her shirt and replaced it with a new one when she heard Edward's footsteps on the stairs. In the blink of an eye, he was standing before her.

He looked around like he was discovering new territory.

"It feels like forever since I've been here," he said.

"It _has_ been awhile," Bella said. She immediately regretted her words. Like they needed another reminder about their breakup.

"Yeah," Edward simply said before he sat down on the edge of Bella's bed. "Bella, I don't really want to go anywhere." His expression denoted that he expected her to disagree with him.

"Oh, okay." Bella took a seat on the opposite side of the bed, the distance deliberate. While her body wanted nothing more than to be wrapped around Edward's, her mind knew that there were things that had to happen first; words that had to be exchanged. And though her mind and body were internally waging war, it was a battle her mind was winning.

"Wanna play a game?" Bella asked Edward shyly.

"A game?" Edward scowled at the idea. "What kind of game?" It was obvious that visions of Monopoly and Trivial Pursuit danced around in his head.

"Twenty questions," Bella announced.

"Isn't that a guessing game?" Edward asked skeptically.

"Well, it can be. But in this version, I'll ask you twenty questions and you have to answer them truthfully."

"I don't want to answer twenty questions about myself."

"Well what if we switch off? We'll each answer ten questions."

Edward didn't look excited about the idea, so his compromise was obvious. "Okay. If I only have to answer ten."

"Why? You have something to hide?" Bella quirked an eyebrow at him.

Edward's silent expression communicated perfectly what he was thinking without him having to say it. It was a question that was answered incorrectly that had caused their relationship to meet its demise. _And Bella wanted to go there again?_

"Okay, I'll go first," Bella turned and sat cross-legged on her bed. "Were you nervous to come over here today?"

"No," Edward answered. He sat staring at Bella expectantly for a moment. "Was that the question?"

"Yeah," Bella nodded.

"Oh." Edward visibly relaxed.

"Okay, now it's your turn," Bella told him.

"Were you nervous?" Edward rattled the question off without a thought.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot to tell you, you can't ask me the same question that I ask you."

At first Edward seemed perturbed by the rule. However, the moment the light bulb went on, and he realized that he could ask Bella a question that she couldn't ask him in return, he seemed to engage himself in the game.

"Did you go out with Mike Newton while we were broken up?" Edward asked.

"No," Bella shook her head adamantly. "Did you go out with anyone?"

"That's the same question."

"No it isn't. I didn't ask you if you went out with Mike Newton."

Edward sighed. "No. I didn't go out with anyone. I've been grounded the entire time."

"Why?"

"It's my turn to ask the question," Edward smiled. But then his expression took on a tone of seriousness. "Did you tell anyone…how we met?"

Bella looked at him in confusion. "We met at school. No one even asks me how we met."

"No, I mean…like…when you came over my house and we…the tutoring. Did you tell anyone about that?"

"No. Does anyone else know?"

"I didn't tell anybody. I just thought, you know, that maybe you said something because you were pissed."

"Edward, I don't consider the fact that you need tutoring to be something dishonorable about you. Lots of people get tutored in various subjects."

"You know what I mean, Bella."

Yes, she did know what he meant. _Had she told anyone that he couldn't read?_

"Did you read my letter?"

"Of course."

"Then what would I have to tell anybody?"

Edward looked embarrassed by Bella's acknowledgement; not in her words, but in the pride he felt because of them.

"I loved your letter," he said quietly.

"I loved your dedication," Bella said in return. "I still can't believe you did that."

"You wouldn't talk to me. It was the only thing I could think of to get you to hear me out."

Bella shook her head. "No, what I meant was I can't believe that you even wanted to…you were so mad when you left my house that day."

"Yeah, but more at myself than you. I should have just told you the truth."

"Why didn't you?"

Edward stretched his long legs lengthwise on Bella's bed, just stopping short of putting his sneakers on the bedspread. He averted his gaze and exhaled deeply before giving Bella the answer that had been plaguing her almost as long as her relationship with Edward had lasted.

"I didn't want you to think I would do that to you." Edward repeated what he'd previously said. "Bella, Rosalie and I were never serious, she was never my girlfriend. She _knew_ I didn't want that, but she said she didn't care. I knew how she really felt, even though she acted like she wanted something casual. I shouldn't have done it, but I did. When she came back again, I blew her off but she just kept hanging around. None of the other girls I hung out with went to Forks, so she never saw me with anyone. I think she thought I'd change my mind so she kept asking."

"How come you stayed friends with her? Why didn't you just…ignore her until she went away?" Bella forgot the process of the game and asked another question.

"Rosalie was always just there. As long as she left me alone, I didn't really pay any attention to her. She's a friend of Alice, who's always with Jasper…she just was around. There weren't any feelings there, so I didn't feel the need to avoid her. And she was cool, most of the time. She didn't really start giving me a hard time until you showed up." Edward laughed to lighten the mood.

"It makes me really uncomfortable knowing she's…seen you…done those things with you." Bella picked at a loose piece of rubber on the sole of her shoe.

"I can't change the past, Bella."

"I know. And I'm not mad at you…anymore."

A comfortable silence settled between the pair and Bella wondered if she should call an end to the game, since Edward wasn't participating; he was simply allowing her to ask all of the questions. But he shocked her by initiating a question and ending the silence.

"Have you ever lied to me?"

Bella pondered the question for a moment. She was about to lie in her response, and she grimaced at how easy it was to be dishonest with Edward. Her face gave her away, as did her hesitation.

"When?" Edward pressed on; Bella's failure to answer the question was as good as an affirmative reply.

Bella sighed. She knew as soon as she disclosed this truth, it would steer the conversation in a direction she was hoping to avoid.

With her hands running anxiously through her hair, Bella stalled to respond as she carefully considered her answer. It didn't take long for her to realize that there really was only one way to explain her falsehood, and that was directly.

"I lied about the birth control," Bella said without looking up. She didn't want to watch him call her a hypocrite.

"What about it? You don't want to take the pill?" Edward asked.

"Actually, I am taking it and I have been for quite a while. Since before I even came here," Bella came clean.

"So you're _not_ a virgin?" The tone of Edward's voice changed. It wasn't quite anger; there was a hint of … betrayal?

"I am a virgin," Bella assured him. "There are other reasons, besides sex, to take birth control pills."

"Like what?" This was news to Edward.

Bella looked up at him with a smirk on her face. "Girlie reasons." When that didn't seem to decode the message sufficiently for Edward, she continued, "like for menstrual cramps and stuff."

"Oh." Edward knew what menstrual meant, so that was enough of that. But now that he knew that he wasn't the only one who'd been dishonest, he felt justified in asking Bella why she'd mislead him, just as she had asked him.

"What's the big deal?" Edward wondered. "Why didn't you just tell me you were already on the pill?"

"Because, I figured if you thought I had to wait a month before they were effective, then…that was one more month I'd have … we'd have… to get to know each other." Bella looked over at him to gauge his reaction. "It was the only way I could think of to get you to stop pressuring me…"

"I never pressured you."

Bella restrained herself from laughing, sure that it would be like throwing acid on the increasingly tense moment. "Edward, you _did_," she stated quietly.

Edward scooted closer to Bella and put his hand on her knee. When his eyes held hers, Bella readied herself for another apology, because that's what it looked liked Edward was going to give her. Instead, he asked another question.

"Does thing have anything to do with Rosalie?" he asked.

"I'll be honest, the fact that you've done it before and I haven't, makes me a little nervous. Not to mention the fact that everyone says it hurts like hell the first time. But, Edward, _I'm_ not ready. It doesn't have anything to do with anyone but me. I just want to feel more comfortable with you first. That doesn't mean that I _never_ want to be with you like that, it just means…not now."

"You're not comfortable with me?" Edward asked.

"I'm more comfortable with you than I've ever been with any other guy," Bella smiled. _Nevermind that there's never been any other guy. _"I just…don't know a lot about this stuff, ya know?"

"Well…I could tutor you," Edward offered with a wicked grin.

Bella laughed out loud and moved over to Edward so that she was close enough to wrap her arms around his neck. "I'm counting on it," she whispered before kissing him.

********

It wasn't even evening yet and the music was already blaring from the stereo of Emmett's friend, John's house.

"This party isn't even going to make it until dark at this rate," Emmett commented over the bass of the music.

"Man, fuck my neighbors. If they call the cops, I'll put bombs in their mailboxes," John huffed. He was already drunk.

John had an "anything goes" philosophy when it came to parties. It was a philosophy that had garnered him nights in the slammer on numerous occasions, but with a sleazy defense attorney for an uncle, John considered himself above the law.

Emmett rolled his eyes and tossed his empty beer bottle into the trashcan. He wasn't that interested in sticking around too much longer. He had a way of sniffing out when a party was going to get out of control, and this one was well on its way, well before it had even gotten started.

As he made his way through the house, past the living room, a familiar set of blonde locks caught his eye and he ducked in for a better look. Sure enough, Rosalie was sitting on the couch, sandwiched between two men who were lavishing her with their constant attention. She was working a beer bottle between her lips, taking a sip, but also giving her audience a lasting visual.

"Rose? What are you doing here?" Emmett stepped into her field of vision.

"Oh, hey, Emmett! What are _you_ doing here?" Rosalie was obviously drunk, but not nearly as drunk as she wanted everyone to believe. Emmett saw right through her charade.

"Hanging out with friends my own age. Which is exactly what you should be doing." Emmett made a move towards her, but she leaned away from him.

"Don't you remember? I don't have any friends my own age. Surely your brother filled you in on that, since he tells you everything else," Rosalie reminded him.

"Feeling sorry for ourselves, are we?" Emmett said. "I have to admit, it isn't becoming of you."

Rosalie looked irritated and the gentleman to her left decided to display his chivalry by defending her honor.

"Hey," belched out hobo number one, "leave her alone." Then, turning to Rosalie, he said, "Don't listen to him. You're the hottest girl in here."

"She's also probably the youngest. Forks get out early today, huh Rose?" Emmett directed his question at her.

"Forks?" Hobo number two decided to speak up. "You're still in high school?"

Rosalie narrowed her eyes at Emmett, an expression that he returned with an arrogant smirk.

"Thanks a lot," she said bitterly when her suitors departed for more attainable prospects.

"Trust me, I did you a favor," Emmett laughed. "Besides, the cops are gonna be here in about twenty minutes, tops."

Rosalie looked at her watch. "Damn. My bus won't be here for a whole hour," she muttered to herself.

"C'mon. I'll give you a lift home," Emmett offered as he started walking out of the living room. He turned around to see Rosalie still seated, her arms crossed over her chest in defiance.

"Suit yourself," he shrugged. "But an intoxicated minor fine might cut into your manicure fund," Emmett nodded at her hot pink nails.

As Emmett left via the front door, Rosalie ran to catch up to him.

"I live off Canis," she said as she opened his passenger door and slid inside. Once seated, Rosalie dropped her quarrel and ran her hands reverently over the dashboard.

"Is this custom?" she asked.

"Carbon fiber," Emmett grinned proudly.

"It's beautiful," Rosalie nodded.

She settled back into the seat and listened to the roar of the engine as Emmett shifted gears.

"So what's up with your friends? Jasper giving you a hard time?" Emmett's voice broke through the silence.

Rosalie shook her head. "Jasper isn't giving me _any_ time. Nobody is."

"I'm just curious… What exactly did you expect everyone's reaction to be? I mean, Edward is Jasper's best friend. He certainly wasn't going to think that shit was funny. And Alice…I don't know…she doesn't seem that heartless."

"So you think I'm heartless?" Rosalie asked defensively.

"I don't know," Emmett grinned as he pulled to a stop in front of Rosalie's house. "I don't know you that well."

As Rosalie walked into an empty house, she couldn't pretend that Emmett hadn't said she _wasn't_ heartless. Even from what he did know of her – how she'd made him laugh, helped and complimented him on his car; he still didn't say she was a nice girl. And she couldn't pretend that that didn't sting a little bit.

********

Edward remained in bed long after he'd awoken the next morning. His thoughts wandered to the time he'd spent with Bella the previous day, and involuntarily, a smile appeared on his face. It felt so _right_ to have her back in his life.

At first, he'd been quite disheartened by her reiteration of the no-sex rule, but then they'd stopped talking and started well…being physical. And Edward didn't care what Bella said, she was hornier than he was, so he knew it was just a matter of time before she would be telling him that she was ready. Even still, that was the way they'd left it: They could fool around all they wanted, and even if things got pretty hot an heavy, Edward would remain under the assumption that they wouldn't go all the way unless Bella told him otherwise.

When the clock on Edward's bedside table read 10:00 a.m. his phone began to ring to the tune of Jonny Lang's 'Breakin' Me'. It was Bella. She'd changed his ring tone. He laughed as he picked it up.

"You sound happy," Bella remarked when she heard Edward's laughter.

"So far, it's not a shitty day," Edward told her.

"Hmm…so far," Bella said covertly.

Something about the tone of her voice made Edward sit up suddenly in his bed. "What's up? What's going on?"

"So…you know how you said you wanted to hang out today?" Bella began.

"Yeah?"

"Well, my dad just got back into town and when I ran it by him…you know, because I haven't seen him in a few days…well…he-kind-of-said-I-can't-hang-out-with-you-until-he-has-a-talk-with-us-first." Bella spat out.

"He wants to talk to us?"

"Yes."

"Together?"

"Yes."

"When?"

"At noon. Can you come for lunch?"

Edward plopped back down on his pillow. _Shitty day commence: now._


	28. Chapter 28 Physical Manifestation

**The Tutor**

**Chapter 28 – Physical Manifestation**

"Charlie wants to talk to me."

Carlisle looked up sharply, not expecting company in the kitchen. "Edward, I didn't even hear you get up this morning," he smiled. "What's this about Charlie? Charlie who?"

"Bella's dad. He wants to talk to me." Edward raked his fingers through his hair.

Carlisle suppressed a laugh at how nervous his son looked. "He wants to talk to you about what?"

"I have no idea. I was wondering if you might know," Edward looked hopeful.

"As the father of a daughter myself, I can think of a thing or two he might want to talk to you about." Carlisle winked.

Edward looked mortified. "No!" _This can't be happening._

"Relax. I'm sure it's harmless. But if you want, I can call over there and see if this might be a meeting he'd like me to sit in on."

"Oh God, no," Edward shook his head. The only thing worse, in his opinion, than having a conversation about sex with Charlie, was having a conversation about sex with Charlie _and _Carlisle.

Carlisle continued to laugh as he exited the kitchen. "Come see me when you get back," he called over his shoulder, "I'm anxious to know what Charlie had to say to you."

Edward had no intention of relaying to Carlisle what happened in the Swan home. If he was able to live through the encounter, he had every intention of purging it from his memory forever.

On the bus ride over to Bella's, Edward tried to mentally prepare himself by playing many different scenarios in his head of what the afternoon might entail. He considered answers to questions he assumed Charlie would ask him and silently reminded himself to call Charlie 'sir'. All of his scenarios had one constant, which was Bella, sitting at Edward's side, quietly reassuring him that all was well.

None of them prepared him for the reality of her absence upon his arrival.

"Bella's not here?" Edward was sure he hadn't heard correctly.

"No. She had to run an errand," Charlie smiled, very aware of how uncomfortable he'd just made Edward.

"Oh," Edward gulped.

"Have a seat in the kitchen," Charlie gestured toward the narrow doorway. "Not there," Charlie spoke brusquely when Edward attempted to sit at the head of the table. "That's my chair."

"Oh, sorry," Edward took a seat to Charlie's left, as far away from him as possible.

The two sat across the table from one another for a few quiet moments before Charlie cleared his throat and put his hands on the table.

"Look, Edward, I was once seventeen, just like you, so I'm not going to pretend like I don't know what your intentions are with my daughter," he began.

"Sir?" Edward looked up at him with wide, innocent eyes.

"Don't even try it," Charlie shook his head. "I'm going to tell you this one time, and one time only. If anything, _anything_, happens to my daughter on your watch, you will not live long enough to escape my wrath. Do you understand me?"

Edward's swallow was audible. "I'd never hurt Bella."

"That's not what it looked like to me that day on the porch," Charlie reminded him

Edward shook his head. "I was just really mad…not at Bella."

Charlie looked over his shoulder as if he were about to give Edward classified information and he needed to make sure no one else was listening. "You've got quite a temper on you, Edward."

"Sir, I-"

Charlie held up his hand to silence Edward. "My dad passed away when I was seven years old and my mom remarried when I was eleven. Now, the guy was a real king when everything was going his way, but the minute he got mad…his mouth and his fists would start a'flyin'."

"Sir, I would never hit Bella. Ever." Edward was adamant.

"But you don't think twice about calling her a bitch or telling her to fuck off, right?"

Edward was floored by Charlie's choice of words and sat staring at him with his mouth agape. "I, uh, well, I…"

"Exactly. I heard the way you spoke to my daughter. You didn't even bother to hide it. You knew I was standing right there."

"I was talking about the situation, Sir. Bella knows how I feel about her."

"And what, exactly, are your feelings for Bella, huh, Edward?"

"I love her," Edward answered without hesitation.

"You love her, eh?" Charlie rolled his eyes and rubbed his chin. "And that's what love looks like to you? Yelling and swearing?"

"No," Edward looked down at the table. "I made a mistake. Haven't you ever made a mistake?" His expression implored Charlie to be more understanding.

Charlie nodded. "Yep." He offered no further information as his eyes bore into Edward's soul.

"Bella forgave me, Sir."

"Well Bella would forgive you, because she's under the impression that you're worth forgiving!" Charlie raised his voice to a near yell. "But I'm not sold on you, yet. You come in here with your 'yes sir, no sir' crap and expect me to forget the things you said to my daughter. Well it's not going to happen."

Edward cringed when he heard Charlie's words. He and Bella had come so far, and now this? Her father was going to put a kibosh on their relationship?

"Sir…Mr. Swan…_please_…," Edward stopped abruptly when he realized what he sounded like. _Am I fuckin' begging?_

Damn straight.

But before Edward could say anymore, Charlie let out a low sound that sounded like a chuckle, but when Edward looked at him, there was no sign of humor on his face.

"This is the deal, Edward. You see Bella on my terms."

"Yes, Sir," Edward immediately agreed, even though he didn't yet know what the terms were.

"You've got six months. In that time you'd better not swear at her, yell at her, make her cry, hell, if you so much as fart in front of her, your ass is history. Do I make myself clear? "

"Yes, Sir." Edward felt like the world's biggest idiot and internally his blood was simmering at the way Charlie was treating him.

And then Bella walked into the kitchen and just her mere presence reminded Edward why he had been ready to get down on his knees and beseech her father for mercy.

********

Bella looked down at her watch before turning to her father. "You said twelve-thirty. It's twelve-thirty." She noticed the pensive looks between Edward and Charlie. "What's going on?"

"Edward and I were just coming to a gentlemanly agreement, right, Edward?" Charlie's expression suggested that the conversation that had just transpired was not to be spoken of to Bella.

"Agreement?" Bella asked.

"Curfews on school nights and weekends…that kinda stuff," Edward shot Charlie a sideways glance and Charlie nodded.

Bella rolled her eyes and took a seat next to Edward. "So, what did you want to talk to us about?"

"It's alright. Edward and I took care of it," Charlie nodded.

Immediately, Bella looked horrified. "Dad, you said you'd wait until I got back to talk to Edward."

"No, I said I'd _try_ to wait until you got back. It took you a little longer than I expected," Charlie shrugged.

Frustration and realization immediately painted Bella's countenance. "You said not to come back before twelve-thirty…And what happened to my cell phone battery?"

Charlie reached in his pocket and pulled out a small flat black battery. "I forgot all about that. I was checking to see if we had the same one."

"Yeah, right." Bella didn't believe him for one second. "What if something had happened and I needed to call you?"

"Bella, this is Forks. All you would have had to do is yell my name and I would have heard you."

"Yeah, okay. I'll remember that next time you're trying to convince me how important it is to carry pepper spray."

Bella looked over at Edward and was unnerved by how quiet he was being. She wasn't surprised that Charlie had tried to put the fear of God into Edward; what surprised her was that it looked like it had worked.

********

Alice watched through a boredom-induced haze as Jasper tried to shoot a rubber band across the kitchen, into a coffee mug that was resting on a small table.

"It's Saturday, Jas. What are we doing tonight?" Alice asked.

Jasper paused his actions long enough to shrug his shoulders before he resumed his game.

"You can stay the night at my house tonight. My parents are out of town," Alice offered.

Emmett came into the kitchen, walked over to the table and scooted Jasper's mug further out of reach.

"Asshole," Jasper muttered at him.

Emmett flipped him off before walking over to the refrigerator to spy the contents. "Don't forget Mom's birthday tomorrow. We have to be at the restaurant at eleven."

"I didn't forget," Jasper said, even though he did. He looked over at Alice with raised eyebrows. "Gift ideas?"

Alice rolled her eyes. "You haven't gotten your mom a gift yet?"

"I can't think of anything to get her," Jasper made excuses.

"I guess we're going to Port Angeles," Alice made a face.

"I'll buy you dinner," Jasper offered.

"Fine. Go get ready so we can take off," Alice said unenthusiastically.

Emmett watched the exchange between the two but remained silent until Jasper had left the kitchen.

"You know, you could always cut Jasper a break and go shopping with one of your girlfriends," he suggested.

"Jasper needs to get a gift for your mom. Why would I go without him?" Alice shook her head.

"Because everyone knows how much Jasper hates shopping. Besides, I hear your friend Rosalie is looking for some bonding time."

"Who told you that?"

"She did."

"Rosalie said this? When?"

"I saw her the other day," Emmett said as if it were no big deal. "She seems pretty tore up over the loss of your friendship."

"Why do you say that?" Alice asked with a nervous anxiousness.

"Just stuff she said. She was feeling kind of sorry for herself; talking about all her friends dumping her and stuff."

"Emmett, we told you what she did."

"Yeah, but she didn't do it to you. I mean, from some of the stuff you said, Rosalie's done some fucked up shit, but you've always hung with her. Now, all of a sudden…" Emmett trailed off.

"This is different, Em. Before, Rosalie wasn't discriminatory. She was a bitch to everyone. But with Bella…I've never seen her act that way. I mean…" Alice looked up and caught Emmett's gaze. "When it comes to Bella, I can see Rosalie doing just about anything to hurt her because Rosalie's so jealous. It really freaks me out."

Jasper re-entered the kitchen then, and caught the tail end of the conversation. "Rosalie's a psycho," he offered.

"Yeah, well, she's showing some signs of self-destructive behavior," Emmett said to Alice. "I'm just sayin'…if you guys aren't cool anymore then, that's fine, but if she's still a friend of yours, you might want to check in."

Alice looked contemplative for a moment until Jasper broke her concentration by telling her that he'd sent Edward a text message inviting him and Bella to tag along and they'd accepted.

"They're coming with us?" Alice looked excited. She and Jasper almost never got to do anything with other couples.

"Well…I have to buy dinner, but they don't have anything else to do, so yeah. We have to go pick 'em up though, so I guess that means I'm driving," Jasper reached for his car keys that were dangling on a key rack near the entryway.

"Okay. I'll be ready in a sec. I just need to touch up my makeup." Alice grabbed her purse and headed for the downstairs bathroom.

Once she had locked herself in the small room, Alice pulled out her phone and called Rosalie. It went straight to voicemail.

"Hey, Rosalie. It's me…Alice. I was…just checkin' in to see what you were up to…Maybe we could…talk…or something…okay. I'll call you later. Bye."

Alice stared at the phone in her hand for a couple moments after she'd hung up. She hadn't been sure what she was going to say, but Emmett's words had disturbed her. Rosalie did have a self-destructive nature, and if a mere phone call could prevent her from doing something dangerous, then it was hardly too big a task for Alice.

********

When Jasper pulled into Bella's driveway to whisk Edward and Bella away to Port Angeles, Edward couldn't have been more relieved. Bella was being relentless in her quest to find out what he and her father had spoken about, and with Charlie in the house, it was impossible to conceal information leaks. By the time Edward walked out to Jasper's car, he was almost excited at the prospect of a shopping trip.

Charlie walked outside with everyone, and though he was questioning Jasper about insurance and seatbelts, he kept his eyes on Edward as he spoke. It wasn't until Edward was holding the door open for Bella that his eyes made contact with Charlie's. It took no effort at all for him to understand the silent communication.

_Behave yourself._

Edward slid in next to Bella, but it wasn't until they were down the road and out of Charlie's sight that Edward reached out and wrapped his arm around her.

Edward and Bella reveled in the feeling of just being together. With their fingers intertwined and their legs resting reassuringly against one another, the two shared stolen kisses in the backseat while Jasper and Alice took turns commandeering the radio.

In Edward's opinion, they arrived in Port Angeles much too soon.

********

Even though it was still early afternoon when they arrived, Jasper was starving.

"Can we eat first? I'm not gonna make it," he exaggerated.

"That's fine with me," Alice looked to Edward and Bella for a consensus. They nodded their agreement.

There was a restaurant on the strip mall that was famous for their Cornish pasty. Whenever Jasper was in town, he did his best to get one. By the way he bragged about them to his friends, they were as eager to have one as he was.

An empty table in front of a large plate glass window overlooking the mall beckoned to them, so Jasper quickly snagged it. Edward requested the seat that would place his back to the window, stating that he didn't like people staring at him while he was eating.

Since Jasper already knew what he was ordering, he utilized the time his friends spent perusing the menu to watch Edward and Bella interact. They sat huddled over one menu, even though they each had their own, and discussed the choices as if it were a major political strategy.

Suddenly a wad of paper came sailing across the table and landed in Bella's hair. Everyone looked over to see Alice looking guilty while trying to hide the evidence of a ripped up napkin.

"That better not have been a spit wad," Bella said in a warning tone. She reached over to grab a straw and a napkin in preparation of retaliation.

In an attempt to stop the attack, Alice moved hastily to the side, which resulted in her glass of water spilling onto the table and into her lap. Alice squealed as the frigid liquid seeped down her thighs – it looked as if she'd wet her pants.

"This better dry before we head out to the stores," she said between bursts of laughter.

As a peace offering, Bella offered Alice her dry chair, but instead of getting another one from a neighboring table, Edward leaned back to allow her ample room as she moved to sit on his lap.

Jasper was trying to catch Edward's eye to give him a ribbing about the intimate gesture when he was distracted by a stationery figure on the other side of the window.

Rosalie stood a few feet away, seemingly oblivious that Jasper was watching her watch them. The expression on her face was a mixture of bewilderment, irritation and contempt. Her eyes flickered between Alice and Bella seated on Edward's lap.

Inconspicuously, Jasper stole a glance at Alice, wondering if she noticed Rosalie. When he saw that she was still laughing and talking to Bella, Jasper jumped in to encourage the interaction. He didn't want Alice to notice Rosalie, because he knew exactly what would happen if she did. Alice would feel guilty for having more fun with Bella than she ever did with Rosalie and she'd withdraw into herself, thus ending the entertaining outing they'd been having thus far.

"You guys should stay the night at my house tonight. Jas can play bartender," Alice said as Jasper tuned back into the conversation.

"What? Oh, uh, yeah," Jasper nodded. "We can all laugh at Alice during Slasher Hour."

"Jasper, I told you, I'm not watching those stupid horror movies. They scare the shit out of me," Alice stated.

"You still watch that?" Edward asked Jasper.

"Yep," Jasper nodded. "You two should come," he gestured at Edward and Bella.

Though Bella looked interested in the idea of staying the night, Jasper didn't understand the reaction that he was getting from Edward.

"Do you want to stay at Alice's?" Bella asked Edward quietly, though it was loud enough for Jasper to hear.

"Bella, your dad is never going to let you," Edward responded.

"He will if he thinks it's just me and Alice," Bella told him.

Edward didn't look convinced, and if Jasper's assessment was correct, he looked a little…afraid?

********

After tying Jasper's jacket around her waist to hide the water stain, Alice led the way to find a gift for Jasper's mother's birthday. Bella and Edward trailed behind before breaking out on their own and going into a music store. Jasper had made it abundantly clear that his only contingency to buying his mother a gift was that they do it quickly. He was already fed up with Port Angeles and wanted to go home.

"Hey, look Jas, this picture frame is nice," Alice held it up for him to see.

"No. No picture frames. Then my mom will expect me and Emmett to take a picture to go with it," Jasper insisted.

As Alice went to place the picture frame back on the shelf, someone shoved into her from behind.

"Excuse me," Alice turned around to face the rather rude person. She found herself face-to-face with Rosalie. "Oh, hey, Rosalie."

"I'm surprised you even remembered my name," Rosalie spat out icily. Jessica spied the confrontation from a few paces away and came closer to witness the exchange.

"Whatever, Rosalie," Alice shook her head. She looked at Jasper and rolled her eyes. "Let's go."

"Yeah, run along to your fake ass friends," Rosalie twiddled her fingers in Alice's direction.

Alice simply brushed past her in an attempt to leave, but as Jasper followed her out, he turned to Rosalie and offered her a few parting words.

"You're pathetic," he said.

"Me?" Rosalie touched her hand to her chest as if she were shocked. "At least I didn't make a fool out of myself by whining and crying when my girlfriend wrapped her lips around some guys dick at a party in front of the whole school." Rosalie smirked when she saw the discomfort and rage displayed on Jasper's face.

"You bitch!"

Rosalie's eyes were on Jasper, so she didn't see Alice double back; she was adequately surprised when Alice's palm made contact with her face.

The two girls started pushing one another; slapping and pawing at one another's faces. Everything was happening so fast, and as Jasper contemplated letting Alice get a few more hits in, he saw Jessica step up as if she was going to double-team Alice.

"Back off!" Jasper yelled at her. "This doesn't concern you."

It was probably a crowd of spectators that caused Edward and Bella to peek into the small store and see the brouhaha that was taking place. When it became apparent what was happening, Bella was at Alice's side in a matter of seconds. Upon seeing this, Jessica attempted to re-enter the fight, but Jasper held her back.

"Kick her ass, Alice," Edward stated loud enough for Alice to hear.

Rosalie also heard it, and her eyes searched for the voice that had uttered the statement. She looked at him only for a moment, but the distraction was long enough for Alice to fiercely yank out a handful of Rosalie's hair before head butting her in the mouth with the top of her head.

Security came rushing in as blood began cascading down Rosalie's chin. Jessica began screeching to the men in uniform that her friend had been jumped and she pointed in the direction of Alice and company. A spectator shook his head at Jessica and pointed to Rosalie, indicating that she'd started the altercation.

While spectators were taking sides, Jasper and Bella tended to Alice, who looked unscathed, save for tousled clothes, unkempt hair and a screaming headache. From where he stood, Edward narrowed his eyes at Rosalie as he contemplated saying something else to her. Bella noticed the tension and reached out for Edward's hand.

"Come on," she urged him. "She's not even worth it, Babe."

After a moment's hesitation, Edward grabbed Bella's hand and ignored the urge to retaliate against Rosalie for past wrongs. Bella was right. Rosalie _wasn't_ worth it.

Alice cast one more glance at Rosalie as she made her way to the front of the store to speak to the shop owner about any damage. In the instant their eyes met, Alice became certain of that which she had been denying for weeks: their friendship was over.

"Ignore my message when you get home. It no longer applies." As soon as Alice finished her sentence, she turned on her heels and walked away from a disoriented and destroyed Rosalie.

********

The drive back to Alice's house was a somber one. The words Rosalie had venomously spat at Jasper had rocked Alice so much that her bouts of crying narrated the entire car ride. As a one time only experience, Jasper allowed Bella to drive his car so that he could sit in the back seat and console his girlfriend.

Bella, Edward and Jasper all refrained from the comments that sat on the tip of their tongues. They didn't call Rosalie names, or state that she'd gotten what she deserved. They each knew that what had just transpired was the physical manifestation of an emotional battle that had began long ago.

When they got to Alice's house, Bella quietly followed her to her room while Edward went with Jasper into the kitchen.

"We should probably take off," Edward said as he watched Jasper fill up a bag of ice for Alice's headache.

Jasper shook his head. "Don't leave. Alice will be much happier if you stay."

Edward looked down at his hands that were resting on the counter. "I don't think we should…at least I shouldn't. Bella can if she wants to."

Jasper looked perplexed as he turned to face Edward. "Dude, you can stay overnight with Bella and you don't want to? What's going on with you? You've been acting weird all day."

Edward glanced at the doorway and listened for any sounds that alerted him to Bella's presence. When he was sure he was alone, he leaned forward and spoke in a hushed tone. "Fuckin' Bella's dad is all over my shit. If he finds out we spent the night together…who knows what he'll do. That guy is crazy."

"Are you telling me that you're afraid of Bella's dad?"

"Fuck you, I'm not afraid of him," again Edward's eyes darted towards the doorway. "I just don't want to give him a reason to tell Bella that she can't hang out with me."

"I have a feeling that Bella would be with you even if he told her she couldn't," Jasper said.

"Yeah, well I don't want to find out," Edward said. "I just need to lay low for awhile."

But Bella came in and she had other ideas.

"Alice is gonna run me home to get some clothes. Are you gonna hang out?" she looked at Edward with doe eyes.

Edward looked chagrined for a moment. "You want to stay the night?"

"Don't you?"

When Edward saw the way Bella was looking at him, he knew his answer meant more than just where he'd sleep that night. It was a question of rejection or acceptance.

"Yeah, I'll stay. I'll wait here with Jasper."

********

Alice's quiet disposition was actually an asset when Bella asked Charlie if she could stay the night at the Brandon home. Charlie took one look at Alice and immediately knew that something was wrong. Alice quietly said that she'd had a run-in with someone who used to be a friend and things didn't go well.

"It's been a pretty rough day," Alice offered a weak smile. "Would it be okay if Bella stayed the night at my house?"

Charlie nodded, his eyes full of empathy for Alice. "Yeah, sure. That's fine." Then he caught Bella's attention as she was about to run up the stairs. "Where's Edward?"

"He's off with Jasper somewhere," Bella stated a half-truth.

"Yeah, they're doing guy stuff tonight," Alice added.

Bella didn't stick around long enough to find out if Charlie's curiosity was satisfied. She hurried up the stairs and hastily threw a pair of jeans, sleep shorts and two t-shirts into her backpack. She paused as she went through her underwear drawer, making sure she grabbed a nice pair, just in case Edward actually saw them. She grabbed a travel pack that had come as an accessory to a purse she never carried. The trial sized lotions, toothpaste, shampoo and razor kept her from having to dig though the bathroom cabinets to search out all she needed.

She was back out of the door with Alice in record time.

The girls returned to find that Jasper had ordered a pizza and turned the television to the Slasher Hour. Alice protested, but eventually gave in when she saw that both Edward and Jasper were really into the movie.

Bella kept casting sideways glances at Edward. It was apparent to her that he was uncomfortable about something, but each time she asked if he was okay, he quickly told her that he was fine. She decided not to press him about it, and when Alice motioned for Bella to follow her up the stairs, Bella went, leaving the boys alone to enjoy their blood and gore.

Alice was still pretty upset about the fight that she had with Rosalie and Bella was glad that she was able to be there for her and help her through such a rocky time.

"You looked so pissed, Alice," Bella told her.

"I _was _pissed. I swear, I could have killed her for bringing that shit up about the party," Alice shook her head angrily.

"Yeah, Jasper said she was digging up old shit. I figured it was from before when…you know."

"We worked so hard to get past all that," Alice's eyes watered. "And she just throws it in Jasper's face like it's nothing. I feel so bad." Alice buried her face in her hands.

"Don't, Alice," Bella said soothingly as she rubbed Alice's back. "Jasper's already forgiven you. If you spend this night crying over something that you've already laid to rest, then you're giving Rosalie exactly what she wants. She knows how happy you and Jasper are and it pisses her off that someone besides her is getting a happily ever after."

Alice laughed through her tears. "Yeah, you're right. Though I think she's even more pissed about _your_ happily ever after."

"Good," Bella said as she stifled a yawn. She glanced over at the clock and noticed the late hour. The boys had yet to relinquish the television.

"It's late," Alice said as she kept her eyes on Bella. "Are you going to wait for Edward or…"

Bella knew exactly what Alice was hinting at and she shook her head. "He's being kind of distant and I get the message. Which is fine, because I had no plans of…doing _that_ tonight anyway."

"He's been acting kind of weird," Alice said as she stretched out on her bed.

"You noticed that, too?" Bella looked quickly.

"Just that he's been sort of quiet. But…I haven't really hung out with the two of you a lot so I didn't know if this was just how he was around you or what."

"Not usually," Bella said quietly, but she didn't elaborate. Alice had just confirmed what she'd been thinking all day, and she was going to get to the bottom of the mystery, and soon.

"Oh, I almost forgot to tell you, Jasper and I have to go to his mother's birthday brunch," Alice rolled her eyes. "It's some stupid tradition. Anyway, you and Edward can stay as long as you want tomorrow, but if you leave before we get back, just leave through the backdoor in the kitchen. You can lock that one without a key."

"Okay," Bella said as she stood up to stretch. "I think I'm gonna go to bed." She glanced towards the doorway and Alice caught the hint.

"Don't worry about them. They'll drag themselves to bed when those stupid movies are over," Alice said.

Bella nodded before she ambled down the hallway to the guest room. She considered letting Edward know that she was going to bed, but she didn't want to send him mixed messages. She'd already asked him to stay the night. If she asked him to come to bed with her, he would most likely think that something was going to happen, and she didn't want to give in to his desires out of guilt or obligation.

An hour later, Bella barely heard Edward as he entered the bedroom they were sharing for the night. She could tell by the way he was tiptoeing around that he thought she was asleep.

She remained silent as she listened to the sounds of him getting ready for bed: the thud of his shoes on the floor as he kicked them off; the jingle of his belt as he undid his pants and slid them over his hips and down his legs; the cascade of his shirt as it dropped to the floor after being pulled overhead. She barely felt the bed move as he crawled under the covers behind her.

"I can go sleep in Alice's room if this makes you uncomfortable," Bella said in her normal, everyday voice.

Edward was startled at the sound of it. "Damn, Bella! I thought you were asleep." Edward's breathing was accelerated by the slight fright.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"And I don't think Jasper would be too happy if you went into Alice's room anytime soon," Edward chuckled.

"Oh." _Great. Way to steer the conversation in the exact direction you were trying to avoid._

"And why would I be uncomfortable anyway?"

Up until this point, Bella had had her back to Edward, facing away from him. She turned to face him, then, and propped herself up on one elbow.

"I know you didn't want to stay the night with me, Edward. It was kind of obvious," she said.

Bella's eyes were beginning to adjust to the darkness and she could see that Edward was looking up at her from where he laid, flat on his back.

"It's not that I don't want to stay the night with you…" Edward trailed off and didn't finish.

"Then what is it? What's up with you? You've been acting strangely ever since…" Realization struck and Bella sat all the way up. "Is this about my dad?"

When Edward didn't respond right away, Bella covered her face in mortification.

"Oh my god. It _is_ about my dad. What the hell did he say to you?" she asked.

"Nothing…just…well let's just say that if he knew I was here, with you, he'd probably make it so that I didn't get my driver's license until I was twenty-five," Edward said.

"Did he tell you not to tell me what you guys talked about?"

"Sort of."

"And you're not going to tell me?"

"Nope."

"Why not? We shouldn't have any secrets between us."

"It's not a secret. Anyway, I have a feeling your dad will come up with some Jedi-mind trick as a way of finding out if I told you anything. And just in case this is a test, I don't want to fail it."

"Edward, he's not going to mess with your driver's license. He doesn't have that kind of pull now that he's out of the police department."

"I don't care about the license, Bella. I was just kidding," Edward laughed in the darkness.

"Well then what's the deal? What's got you all jumpy?"

"You."

"Me?"

"He said if I fucked up, he wouldn't let me see you."

"What? He can't do that-"

"Well that's what he said, so I'm trying not to fuck up…'course it hasn't even been one day and technically, I already have."

"You didn't," Bella lowered herself onto the bed and allowed Edward's arm to envelop her. "And besides, there's nothing my dad or anyone else could do to keep me away from you."

Edward turned his head and looked into Bella's eyes. "I said I'd do whatever it takes…and if this is what it takes…"

Bella sighed and settled into Edward's side. "He'll get over it. I promise."

"Yeah, well in the meantime, if I happen to fart in my sleep, don't tell your dad."

Bella couldn't help laughing. "What?"

"Apparently, it's against the rules."

Bella laughed and Edward joined in. His comfort level seemed to increase exponentially as he rolled over and began to shower Bella with kisses. Lovingly, they softly lavished one another with this physical endearment until sleep overtook them moments later.

When they awoke, they were still tangled in one another's arms.

********

The house was quiet when Edward got out of bed for his morning bathroom ritual. He vaguely remembered Jasper saying something about going to a restaurant for his mother's birthday, but he wasn't sure Jasper and Alice had left, so he tried to be as quiet as possible.

Despite his effort, Bella was awake when he walked back into the guestroom. She was bent over her backpack, pulling out clothes and toiletries. From his position, Edward could see all the way up her shirt, and she didn't have a bra on.

_And we have a lift off…or lift 'up' as it may be._

Edward pretended he hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary as he crawled back into bed, but Bella's indecent exposure had left him wide awake…and wanting.

He listened to the sounds of her getting ready for the day. He heard her brush her teeth, and he assumed she used the bathroom because he heard the toilet flush.

And then he heard the shower start.

Bella was just on the other side of that door.

Naked.

All of the restraint of the previous night disappeared and Edward found himself out of bed and at the bathroom door. Stealthily he tried the doorknob. It was open.

"Bella?" he called her name softly.

"Yeah?" she answered. She was already in the shower.

"Um…you're taking a shower?"

"Yeah…is that okay?"

"Oh, yeah...I'm gonna take one, too." Edward didn't move from his place in the doorway. He could see the outline of Bella's body through the privacy glass. She had ceased all movement.

"Oh-kay," she enunciated each syllable.

Edward just stood there, his erection and desire for Bella growing by the second. "Do you…maybe wanna take one together?"

Edward saw a tiny movement from Bella as she crossed her hands in front of her.

"Okay," she sounded hopeful.

Edward wasted no time in disrobing and joining Bella in the shower. Once he was present with her, he immediately joined her under the spray of the warm water. Bella backed away to give him more room, and when she did so, Edward closed his eyes and fully submerged himself. Even with his eyes closed, he knew Bella was looking over his naked form. He also knew he was going to do the same to her the second he got the chance.

Under the guise of not wanting to hog all the hot water, Edward traded places with Bella so that she was once again under the spray. It took her awhile to close her eyes, but when she finally did, Edward let his eyes wash over her body.

_Magnificent._

"What's that?" he asked.

Bella's eyes immediately flew open and she shielded her nether regions from view, even though she didn't know what Edward was talking about.

"What's what?" she asked.

"That?" Edward pointed vaguely.

"What?" Bella looked down anxiously. When her eyes met Edward's she saw his comical smirk and knew right away that he was just messing with her.

"Made you look," he said in a sultry whisper as he stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her.

The tension visibly left Bella's body as Edward's hands flowed down the flesh of her back and rested on the curve of her ass. It had been so long since he'd felt her skin underneath his hands that his body seemed to surge in response.

Timid hands sought exploration as Bella felt her way up Edward's chest and to his neck before delving into his wet tresses. She replaced the hands that had stroked his neck with her lips, but when his fingers began to tease the tips of her breasts, she sought his mouth hungrily and consumed him with her kisses.

Edward's kisses turned frantic as his body begged for more contact. He pressed his body against Bella's, pushing her up against the steam-covered tile.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered as his lips raked over hers, his tongue nipping, and teasing before plunging into her mouth.

It was his intention to let Bella set the pace of their physical interactions, so the moment her fingers grazed his erection, he immediately turned the languid strokes on her thighs inward, to caress between her legs. He felt the soft fuzz that had grown back and covered her sex; evidence of how long it had been since they'd been together like this.

Bella's soft touches and fondling was sending Edward well on his way to an earth-shattering orgasm. But just when he starting to feel the tingling of a near-release, the hot water ran out and the cold that replaced it felt as if they were being pelted with ice.

Quickly Bella turned off the water and exited the shower. She grabbed a towel from the counter and handed one to Edward. He accepted it before taking a seat on a small bench that adorned the wall and draped the towel over his lap.

Bella watched him as he watched her drying herself off. Edward could tell the moment she once again became self-aware, because she began trying to hide herself behind her towel. He reached for her and pulled her to stand in front him, before slowly lowering the towel and letting his eyes sweep over her body.

"I haven't…shaved…yet," Bella said bashfully when she saw Edward eyeing the patch of hair between her legs.

His fingers softly floated over the area. "I'll shave it for you."

Bella looked at him with wide eyes. "What? No! You can't…" the way she aborted her statement clued Edward in to the fact that she was intrigued by the idea.

"Why not?"

"What if you cut me?"

"I shave all the time. I think I can do it without cutting you."

When Bella didn't respond, but simply kept her eyes on Edward as his palms whispered over the soft downy, he knew he had her consent.

"Do you have a razor?" he asked.

Silently, she walked over to the travel bag she'd brought into the bathroom with her, and removed a small razor and a bottle of lotion.

When he'd retrieved the toiletries from her, Edward moved off the bench so that Bella could take his place; he leaned between her legs and coaxed them open before applying the lotion to the sensitive area.

At first, Bella avoided making eye contact as Edward performed such an intimate act. But as the hair began to disappear, so did Bella's inhibitions. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the way Edward's fingers felt upon her as he spread her wide and manipulated her skin, not only for efficiency, but also for her pleasure.

The tapping of the razor on the side of the sink as Edward cleaned the blade served as a soundtrack to the ecstasy of the moment. But it wasn't the cessation of the razor or the warm towel that wiped her clean that signaled a job well done. It was the feather-like tips of Edward's fingers as he stroked her clit before dipping into the inferno that awaited within.

As Edward shifted to a more comfortable position, Bella caught sight of the raging hard-on hidden beneath his towel. In one lithe movement, she slid from the bench to the floor and situated herself between Edward's legs.

A throaty, guttural moan rose deep from within Edward as Bella impaled her mouth with his cock. Licking, sucking, scraping – Bella poured her heart into her actions and Edward responded verbally with moans of pleasure and passion. So assiduous was Bella in her quest to satisfy Edward, that she didn't falter or pause when he guided her onto her back and buried his face between her thighs.

The knowledge of Bella's impending climax as she tightened underneath him pushed Edward towards his edge. The music of her arousal-tinted murmurings taunted his ears and brought him to the brink of his release so quickly that he didn't have a chance to alert Bella. With his hips locked in her tireless embrace, Edward couldn't pull out and his words of warning came out in the form of a lust-riddled grunt before he ejaculated against her throat. Bella didn't complain, nor did she release him until she'd swallowed all he had to offer her; just as he did the same for her.

Edward pulled Bella against his chest, and they lay on the floor, wrapped in each other arms, panting to catch their breath, until they heard Alice and Jasper moving around downstairs. Quickly they moved to conceal their actions of moments ago before dashing to the guestroom to get dressed. When they entered the kitchen minutes later, they pretended that their previous activities weren't written all over their face.

"There you guys are," Alice said with a coy grin. "We were wondering."

"Yeah, um, Alice, can you give me a ride home?" Bella asked. "I'd better make an appearance before Charlie starts getting suspicious."

Edward immediately agreed. "Jas, you'll run me home?"

"Yeah, let me just grab my keys," Jasper walked out of the kitchen.

When the pairs walked out of the house to go their separate ways, Edward pulled Bella off to the side and placed a chaste kiss upon her lips. He looked up to make sure they had a moment of privacy.

"I love you," he told her.

"I love you, too," Bella said before kissing him once more.

"Call me when you get home," Edward said before releasing her to Alice. Bella nodded before climbing into the front seat of the car. As Edward turned toward Jasper's vehicle, he heard Alice squeal something along the lines of "you two are so cute!"

So as not to give Jasper any indication that he wanted to talk about how 'cute he and Bella were', Edward watched the scenery pass by as Jasper made the short trek to the Cullen house.

"So…what were you guys doing at Alice's?" Jasper asked with a sinister grin, not taking the hint.

"Nothing," Edward shook his head. But even he couldn't fight the urge to smile…so he didn't.


	29. Chapter 29 Ready or Not

**The Tutor**

**Chapter 29 – Ready or Not**

The wave of euphoria Bella was riding after the time she'd spent with Edward over that weekend with Alice and Jasper had to carry her for days, because it quickly became apparent that in their time apart, Edward had developed a routine that left little time for her – for them.

On the days when he didn't have tutoring sessions with a literary specialist, he was at Pipeline, and when he wasn't at Pipeline, he was doing his driver's education hours for his behind-the-wheel test.

But Bella didn't complain – at least not out loud. She was proud of the strides Edward was making, and even though he pretended not to, she knew he loved it when she told him so.

She knew how important it was for him to complete the goals he'd set up for himself, even if it meant their relationship was relegated to school hours, weekends and late night phone calls.

"Hey."

It was a Thursday night, way beyond the appropriate time to receive a phone call.

"Hey," Bella smiled as if Edward could see it. "How'd your driving lesson go?"

Edward uttered a muffled pshaw. "Those lessons are a waste of time. I drive fine. I could go down to get my license tomorrow if I didn't need those stupid hours."

"Yeah, well, your car isn't ready anyway."

There was a pause in the conversation, as Edward didn't like to rehash the damage that he'd brought upon the gift his father had given him.

So instead, he changed the subject.

"What are you doing tomorrow night?" he asked.

"Aren't we going out?" Bella asked in response. She'd figured that since they spent so little time together during the week that it would go without saying that the weekends were theirs.

"Well…" Edward hesitated. "I actually have to work until ten."

"Oh." The disappointment in Bella's voice was evident.

"You want to come by?"

"Where? Your job?"

"Yeah."

"Is that allowed?"

Edward snorted. "Yeah. The guys have their girlfriends down there all the time. You can't like, hang out my whole shift or anything, but if you come a couple hours before closing we could…go to my house after or something."

"Yeah, okay," Bella readily agreed.

The next day, it was fully Bella's intention not to show up early to distract Edward, but then Charlie had begun throwing words like 'curfew' and 'no car' around, and Bella knew that if she didn't see Edward early, she wouldn't be seeing him at all. So at nearly seven-thirty, Bella grabbed Charlie's keys, with his reluctant permission, and headed down to Pipeline to see her one and only.

Edward wasn't expecting her and Bella didn't want to distract him, so she sat in the small lobby on an overstuffed red sofa and looked around until her eyes finally landed on him. Immediately a smile dressed her face at the sight of Edward in a new element. A gentle stirring tugged, not at her heart, but at her mind. She leaned back into the plush furniture, happy to watch him for hours.

"Can I help you?"

A gruff voice broke through her cinematic experience. Bella looked up to see a well-worn man standing before her, wringing his hands on a blue shop towel.

"Oh, no. I'm fine," Bella smiled up at him when she read the title 'Manager' written underneath the name Brian on his smock. She knew him to be Edward's boss. "I'm just loitering."

Brian smiled at her choice of words. "Loiterers have to supply coffee. And not that cheap supermarket kind, either."

Bella reached down into the backpack she'd brought in with her as if she had something to offer. Her hand materialized holding a book.

"Would you settle for a trade paperback?" she asked coyly.

Brian laughed as he accepted the book long enough to read the title. It wasn't one that he recognized.

"Let me guess; you're here for Edward," he said as he handed the book back.

Bella glanced over at Edward before she answered. He was still unaware of her presence. "Yeah. Is that okay?" Bella quickly added.

"That depends. Who are you?" Brian eyed her with fake skepticism.

"I'm Bella."

"You're Bella? _The_ Bella? _Edward's_ Bella?" Brian pretended he was in the presence of royalty before straightening up and looking at her seriously. "He's never mentioned you."

Bella couldn't help but laugh. "That's probably closer to the truth."

"I'm Brian," he held his hand up and pointed to the grease as an explanation of why he hadn't taken hers in greeting. "Does Edward know you're waiting for him?"

"Not yet. I'm a bit early. I don't want to bug him yet," Bella smiled. Her eyes implored Brian not to bother Edward with her being there.

"This isn't one of those things where you're going to time him to see how long it takes for him to notice you, is it?" Brian asked.

Bella looked at him like he was speaking a foreign language. "Um…no," she laughed.

"Good, because I don't want any part of those games," Brian shook his head.

Bella frowned but her expression was amused. "Do people actually do that?"

"You'd be surprised at the games _women_ play," Brian emphasized to let her know that men generally did not play those games.

"Well, I just don't want to distract him. I'll make myself known soon enough," Bella opened the book that she and Brian and juggled and pretended to read it. In actuality, she was watching Edward over its pages.

The stirring, one that Bella could only describe as one not led by her abundantly beating heart, lay just beneath her subconscious as Bella watched Edward lean over the hood of a car and hand a tool to a man working on the other side of it. A small sigh escaped her as she took in the definition of his toned back and lean torso. If nothing else, their time apart had certainly made her appreciate him all the more.

********

Despite the slow night at Pipeline, the other mechanics kept giving Edward menial jobs to do. It was beginning to get on his nerves because not only did it prevent him from leaving early, it also prevented him from working on his own car.

Finally, just after eight, when Edward thought his brain was going to explode from all the monotony, Marty, the mechanic he'd been working with, called it a night on the old Buick Le Sabre he'd been toiling over for hours. Before anyone noticed his idle hands, Edward rushed over to his car and began pounding out the last few dents that adorned his hood. It had been a long and tedious process, and even though he had a ways to go, he could finally see that he was actually making headway on the car.

Brian walked over to Edward, but he didn't speak. He simply walked back and forth, his thumb and forefinger on his chin; his eyes on Edward's work.

"If this is the type of work you do on a car that you _don't_ own, I'd be beyond impressed," Brian finally commented.

"Huh?" Edward sat back and looked over his car as Brian took a seat in front of him.

"You do good work, Edward," Brian smiled. He then cast a glance over in Bella's direction and saw that she was still content just to watch. "So, you got a name for this thing yet?"

Edward looked up to see that Brian was pointing to his car. "People actually do that still – name their cars?"

"Edward, this is your first car. You have to give it a name. Something that defines your life while you drove her," Brian's words were rife with passion.

Edward shook his head. "I'm not naming a car after my girlfriend. That's lame…and a bit insulting."

Brian grinned like a Cheshire cat at tricking Edward into admitting that Bella defined his life. "She really is a beautiful girl, Edward."

Thinking that Brian's tone was a little excessive for referring to a car, Edward looked up at him and frowned. It was then that he noticed that Brian wasn't speaking of the car at all, but something across the shop had grabbed his attention. Following Brian's gaze, Edward turned to see Bella sitting on the red sofa. Her feet were tucked underneath her and she smiled slightly when her eyes met Edward's.

"Why don't you knock off early, Man," Brian lightly tapped Edward's elbow.

"Really?" Edward asked without taking his eyes off Bella's.

"Yeah, it's a slow night. Besides…I don't think you're of much use to me now…" Brian trailed off when it became evident that Edward wasn't listening.

"Yeah, okay."

It felt like slow motion – the amount of time it took for Edward to cross the shop and arrive in front of Bella.

"How long have you been here?" he asked as he pulled her to a standing position in front of him. He didn't care how many people were looking on as he leaned in and planted a kiss on her lips.

"Just a little while. I didn't want to bother you."

"As if you could." Edward rolled his eyes. "Brian said I could knock off early, so let's get out of here."

After introducing Bella to a few of his coworkers, Edward and Bella left Pipeline and headed to Edward's house. As soon as they arrived, Edward dashed up the stairs for a quick shower while Bella settled into the family room with Maddie.

"What are you watching?" Bella asked as she took a seat on the couch, behind the little girl.

"Pocahontas. It's my favorite movie," Maddie offered.

"Why is that?"

"Because she likes animals, just like me."

Bella smiled at the simplistic answer. As the two watched the movie together, Maddie spoke to Bella without shifting her eyes from the television.

"I haven't seen you in a long time," she said.

"It has been a while, hasn't it?" Bella asked, trying to avoid answering the question.

"Where were you?" Maddie turned so that she could see Bella's face.

Just as she was going to answer, Bella looked up and saw that Edward was watching silently from the doorway. He grinned when he saw that he'd been discovered.

"She was just waiting for her lame-ass boyfriend to call her and ask her to come over," Edward said as he crossed the room and sat down next to Bella.

"Oh," Maddie nodded, unsure of whether or not she was going to accept that answer.

Edward slipped his arm around Bella and drew her into his side. She took in his appearance: damp hair, plain dark t-shirt, clean jeans and bare feet, before snuggling against him.

"You smell great," she said as she inhaled.

Edward shrugged, as if he hadn't put much effort into his routine. "What do you want to do tonight?" he asked.

Bella stole a glance at her watch. "Whatever it is, we'd better get to it. I have to be home in a couple hours."

Edward nodded. He hadn't forgot about Charlie's "rules", curfew being just one of them.

"So you just want to hang out?" Edward suggested. He hadn't spent any quality time with Bella in a week, so the idea sounded great to him.

Apparently, it sounded great to Bella as well, because she seemed pleased by his suggestion.

As they sat together on the couch, casual touches and innocent caresses quickly escalated into deep, open-mouthed kisses and lust-charged embraces. Their surroundings were cast aside and forgotten until they heard a soft rapping on the door and the distinct sound of a female voice being cleared.

Bella moved away from Edward quickly and straightened up on the couch. Edward looked into the disapproving gaze of his mother.

"What?" he asked.

Esme smiled politely at Bella before gesturing for Edward to follow her out of the room. "Can I see you in the kitchen for a minute?"

Edward shot Bella a pained look before heading out of the room. _This ought to be good._

********

Unfortunately, for Esme, Carlisle was in the kitchen when she walked back into it. Though they agreed on many things, Carlisle often took a different approach to dealing with Edward and his oftentimes-inappropriate behavior. She had wanted to have this discussion with Edward without the aid of her husband's input. Now it didn't look like she was going to get that chance.

"What?" Edward hissed as he came padding into the kitchen after Esme. Carlisle turned and raised an eyebrow at the tone of voice he was using.

"Edward, you ought to know better," Esme said vaguely.

"What'd I do now?" Edward was obviously annoyed.

"You know what you did," Esme suddenly became very interested in cleaning off the kitchen countertops.

"What? I'm not allowed to kiss my girlfriend? Is that it?"

"Maddie was in there!" Esme whirled around to face him.

"She wasn't even looking at us," Edward countered. "Plus, they kiss all the time in those Disney movies she's always watching."

"Not the way you do it."

Carlisle was having a hard time following the banter between Esme and Edward. "What's going on here?"

"I can handle this, Carlisle," Esme attempted to give him a warning glance.

Edward, however, charged ahead with his own version of the explanation. "I didn't know it was against the house rules for me to kiss Bella. I know I can't have her in my room, or any room, for that matter, with the door closed. Can we still go out? Is that allowed?" he asked sarcastically.

"Edward, tone," Carlisle said in warning.

"Well what am I supposed to do?" Edward looked at Carlisle. "Am I not allowed to kiss her?"

"Have some discretion, Edward. That's all we ask. Tone it down in front of Maddie." Carlisle explained.

"Can we go in my room then?" Edward asked.

"Sure," said Carlisle.

"No," answered Esme.

Edward looked between his parents, sizing up the confusing information they were giving him. "Well, we're gonna take off anyway," he said before leaving the kitchen.

"Be home by twelve," Carlisle called after him.

Esme, was furious and she didn't waste time letting Carlisle know about it.

"I told you to let me handle it!" she turned to face him.

"Sorry. I didn't know we were tag-team parenting. Feel free to pass the baton when you want my input again," Carlisle held up his hands in surrender.

"Oh don't try to turn this around on me. You always undermine me in front of him. It's no wonder he doesn't have any respect for me," Esme fumed.

"How did I undermine you? I still don't even understand what the two of you were going on about," Carlisle defended himself.

"He and Bella were in there making out like there's no tomorrow…in front of Maddie!" Esme said.

"Did she see them?" Carlisle asked.

"That's not the point."

There was a long silence that ensued and when Esme looked up, she saw that her husband was watching her with an expression that hovered between amusement and understanding.

"You're being territorial," he finally said.

"Carlisle, don't be absurd. This is my son we're talking about," Esme waved him off.

"Honey, there are only so many roles you can fulfill in Edward's life. Mate is not one of them…outside of Australia, anyway," Carlisle pressed on.

"I'm not trying to be his _mate_, Carlisle, I'm trying to be his mother and keep him from making life altering mistakes."

"You're trying to control him," Carlisle stepped up beside her. "And the more you try, the further you're going to push him away."

"I'm not trying to control him."

"Then what's this nonsense about him not being able to kiss Bella?"

"What he was doing wasn't kissing. It was…foreplay."

Carlisle nodded. "Probably. But now, instead of that 'foreplay' occurring under your roof, in a room with the door open, it's happening out there without limitation."

Esme looked down at the realization of how right her husband was. "Damn," she murmured.

Carlisle came up behind her and wrapped his arms around his wife.

"How can you be so calm about this?" she asked him.

"Because I've already accepted the fact that Bella and Edward are most likely going to have sex. It wouldn't be their best decision at this age, but it wouldn't be their worst, either."

"He's so close, Carlisle. _So_ close – to graduating, reading…it's all happening for him. I'd hate to see him mess it all up by…getting Bella pregnant."

"We're all one step away from messing everything up, Esme. You can't bind him up in a box until he's met all of life's milestones. An unexpected pregnancy is life altering at any age, not just Edward's. Besides, Bella's on birth control."

Esme whipped around quickly to face Carlisle. "How do you know that?"

"Edward told me," he shrugged as if it were no big deal.

"He just came out and told you something like that?"

"Sure…after I asked."

Carlisle laughed and began to sway to nonexistent music as he held his wife in his arms.

"Remember the first time we had sex?" he asked her.

"Yes. And as I recall, we were nineteen," Esme emphasized.

"I recall that _I_ was nineteen. You were…a little older," Carlisle made light of the slight age difference between himself and his wife.

"Whatever," Esme rolled her eyes before releasing a small giggle.

"Esme, Bella and Edward are going to be fine. They're smart kids. Just…give him a little room to make his own consequences. It's the only way he's going to grow."

********

Bella had felt those same unexplainable stirrings as she'd watched Edward hastily pull on his socks and shoes and lead her out of his house, towards her father's truck.

"What's the matter? What happened?" Bella asked him, her words tumbling quickly out of her mouth. "Is your mom mad at me or something?"

"I don't know what my mom's problem is, but whatever it is, she'll get over it," Edward said. He was already visibly calmer as he climbed into the passenger seat of the car.

Bella fired up the engine before turning to face Edward. "Where to?"

"Who cares. Just…away from here."

"The meadow?"

Bella hoped the desire she was feeling for Edward in that moment wasn't given away by the suggestion of her locale. _What the hell? Of course it is!_

But Edward made no mention of it. He simply nodded.

The meadow, _Edward's_ meadow, was deserted. Bella was careful not to maneuver the vehicle into any mud slicks. The last thing she needed was to have to phone her dad and tell him that she and Edward had gotten his car stuck in the mud…in a dark, deserted meadow…

Bella finally parked the car and turned off the headlights. When she turned and looked at Edward, she noted the way he had his head back, resting against the seat headrest. His eyes were closed, but there was a small furrow upon his brow, as if he were in deep thought.

His hair, now fully dry, had given way to several cowlicks and therefore stood haphazardly all over his head. Pale hands ran through it, and Bella marveled at how clean his fingernails were. He shifted his legs and his pant leg rode up slightly, revealing socks that barely covered his ankle; the auburn downy barely visible.

And this time, when the stirrings occurred, Bella knew exactly what they were.

Just like that, in the silvery light of the moon, in the quiet of the night – with no fanfare or memorable words, Bella knew she was ready. She was ready for Edward.

"Edward?" Bella asked softly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Just tired," he said.

"Oh. Well, we can go back if you want…" Bella tried to hide her disappointment.

Edward turned his head slightly to the side so that he was facing her. "It's not that kind of tired," he looked down. "I'm just sick of all the bullshit, you know? It's like…I get in trouble for all kinds of stupid shit. And it's just getting on my nerves. Sometimes I just want to say 'fuck it'. You know?"

Bella reached over and took his hand while he spoke. "You mean what happened with your mom just now?"

"Exactly."

"Well what'd your dad say?"

"He was cool about it. But I didn't _do_ anything. That's what pisses me off."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. My dad's been all over my case lately, too."

"And that's my fault, too. It's because you're with me."

Bella shook her head. "I don't think that's really it. I think it's just…I'm growing up. I mean, the last time he really had parental control over me, I was just a kid. Now, he has me back and I'm basically all grown up and he doesn't know what to do with me. And sure, he thinks he needs to get all protective of me because I'm with you now, but I just think it's because he doesn't really know what to do."

Edward shook his head. "I can't wait until I turn eighteen."

"Then what?"

"Then they can't fuckin' tell me what to do. I'll be an adult."

Bella laughed. "You don't really believe that, do you?"

Despite his sour demeanor, Edward laughed as well. "No. I know they'll still try."

Bella pulled the back of Edward's hand toward her mouth and placed a soft kiss on the back of his palm before straightening back and looking out of the windshield into the darkness.

"Thanks," Edward mumbled.

"For what?" Bella was curious.

"For just…being here. You always make shit better, without even trying."

Bella tightened her grip on his hand. "I really missed you this week."

Instead of respond, Edward leaned over and placed a kiss on Bella's jaw before trailing down to her neck, where he started licking and softly biting.

"Mmm, I _love_ it when you do that," she whispered.

"You do?" Edward replied in a sultry tone. "What else do you like?"

"Um…" Bella hesitated as Edward's hand began a slow journey underneath her shirt to the edge of her bra.

"This?" Edward's question feathered against Bella's ear as his fingers caressed her satin-cloaked breast.

Bella let out a low moan when his fingers began to trace circles over the definition of her nipples.

"You like it, Baby?" Edward murmured as he placed a light kiss on Bella's earlobe.

"Yes," Bella spoke softly into his ear. "What do _you_ like?"

Without words, Edward reached for Bella's hand and placed it in his lap, atop his titanium-rivaling cock.

"What do you want me to do?" Bella asked. She noticed that her voice didn't sound anywhere near as sexy as his when she asked the questions.

"Anything," he exhaled.

Discontent with Bella's hand ghosting over his erection, Edward quickly released the buttons on his button-fly jeans, extracted himself from his underwear and then placed Bella's hand upon his exposed member; coaxing her into long, tight strokes.

"Yeah…like that," he managed quietly.

Bella reclined her seat and Edward quickly followed suit. As Bella brought him near his climax, he reached between her legs and began rubbing her over her pants. When she slightly spread her legs, inviting him to take advantage of the additional access, Edward did just that. Pushing the barrier of her underwear aside, he slid his fingers between her lower lips, where they coasted up and down her clit, coating them with her wetness. Just as he heard her breathing catch in her throat, Edward plunged two fingers deep within her and began pumping his hand to an intimate rhythm.

"More…" Bella gasped. "I want you to use more."

As they spoke to one another, guiding the other in their likes and dislikes, Bella had grown accustomed to the language and silent communication they shared. Yet she wondered if she would need to be more direct with what she was asking Edward in that moment. But before she could form a clearer question in her mind, Edward inserted a third finger while his thumb continued to massage her clit in deliberate round motions.

"Edward…" Bella began to whimper and moan as her orgasm approached.

Edward halted the movement of her hand on his cock because in her pre-climax frenzy, she began to inflict pain instead of pleasure.

"Oh…Edward…Edward…I want you…I want to…Edward…I'm ready…oh god…oh god…Edward…"

Bella kept her eyes shut tight as she battled against the hand that was bringing her such nirvana. She wanted to bat it away and replace it with Edward, connecting them in a capacity they had not yet reached.

Even after, as the orgasm deflated, and Edward's still inserted fingers sent sporadic shockwaves through her body, Bella still craved him inside of her and she begged for it in low, melodic tones.

Finally, he removed his fingers and began resituating his clothing. Bella did the same, but she cast sideways glances at him at reoccurring intervals until his silence was deafening.

"Why?" she simply asked.

"Why what?" Edward asked without looking at her. He placed great stock in straightening his t-shirt.

"You didn't hear me?" Bella asked. The rejection she anticipated was suffocating her in the small space.

Edward let out a long deliberate breath. "I heard you."

"So…what happened?" Bella asked.

Edward turned to face her then. "Really, Bella? You want to lose it in your dad's truck when you have to be home in…" he looked at the clock on the dashboard, "twelve minutes?"

In all honesty, Bella hadn't even considered the time. She just knew she wanted to take her relationship to the next physical level, and when that realization came upon her, she wanted to do it right then. But now that Edward had drawn her attention to it, and the heightened emotion of the moment had passed, Bella knew he was right, but it was only head knowledge at this point.

"I just wanted you…I wanted you to know that…"

"I know," Edward cut her off. "But we seriously have to stop talking about this, because a guy only has so much self control." He laughed slightly, but the moment was definitely lacking in amusement. They drove back to the Cullen home in silence.

By the time Bella made it home, mortification had set in. She'd basically pleaded with Edward to have sex with her…sort of…and he'd declined. After all the times she'd had to hold him off, when she finally gave him the green light, he said no. Sure, time was a problem, but the way he was acting…she got the feeling that wasn't all.

After agonizing over it for a few more minutes, she sent him a text message.

_**I feel like an idiot.**_

It took him fifteen minutes to respond.

Y

Bella felt her emotions begin to overtake her as she typed out her next message:

You know why

As Bella sat waiting for Edward's response, her phone rang. It was no surprise that it was Edward.

"Bella," he stated simply.

She couldn't help it: she started crying. "I'm sorry I wanted to."

"No you're not," Edward said, calling her bluff. "And I don't want you to be sorry."

"Why didn't you want to?" Bella finally asked the question that had been bothering her.

Edward snorted. "Are you kidding? Do you know how hard it is for me not to steal my parents' car right now and drive over there and crawl in your bed? Trust me Bella. I want to."

When Bella remained quiet, Edward continued.

"I almost did it. Even though we didn't have enough time and I think you're way too classy to lose it in the cab of your dad's pickup…I still almost did it. But you're going to remember this forever, Bella, and I don't want you to remember how your ass hit the gear shift or that we rushed; I want you to remember that it was special and that…oh never mind."

"No, tell me," Bella insisted.

"Bella…" Edward was silent for a few moments. "I've never…made love to a girl before. It's never been like that so…this is kind of my first time, too and it's not gonna fuckin' happen in twelve minutes."

Bella had to laugh at the way he bristled at the time constraint. "Okay," she said. And her heart finally caught up with what she knew in her head.

"I love you, Bella."

"I love it when you tell me that."

"Oh, Bella, can you do me a favor?"

"Yeah?"

"Go crack the windows a bit in your dad's truck. It smells like sex in there and the last thing I need is for him to show up on my porch tomorrow with a shotgun."

Bella laughed again. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For making it better," Bella whispered. "I love you."

And just like that, the feelings of anxiety and rejection dissipated – leaving only Bella's confidence and assurance that she was, indeed, ready.


	30. Chapter 30 In the Pain of Pleasure

**The Tutor**

**Chapter 30 – In the Pain of Pleasure**

Bella watched through uncomfortable eyes as Alice flitted aimlessly around her room, picking up items without rhyme or reason before putting them back again.

"So…" Alice began.

Bella could tell her friend was bored, and she felt guilty – responsible. But, in her defense, Alice had shown up on her doorstep, unannounced, the boredom a preexisting condition.

"We could rent a movie," Bella suggested.

"There's nothing out I want to see," Alice shot her down. "Sometimes I really hate this town. There is absolutely nothing to do. Whoever those people are who go on and on about small town charm should be lobotomized."

"I know. Sometimes, I go to the grocery store and look in the travel magazines to remind myself of all the exciting things people do in other places," Bella admitted.

"Oh, that reminds me, the college recruiters are coming to school next week. Are you signed up for any?"

"No. Not yet. I have some ideas, though."

"Me, too. But the main requirement for college, for me, is that they have to be as far away from Forks as possible."

There was an unspoken question looming in the air, and Bella was glad Alice didn't ask it. She had another year before she had to deal with the separation anxiety of going off to a destination where Edward didn't follow…or wouldn't follow. She wasn't sure which applied and she didn't want to think about it.

"So, have you two hooked up yet?" Alice asked instead.

"Way to segue," Bella rolled her eyes. "And no, we haven't…wait, you mean sex, right?"

"Yeah. Did you?"

"Almost."

Alice looked surprised at hearing Bella's answer switched from _no_ to _almost._ Immediately she hopped onto Bella's bed and demanded information.

"Nothing happened. We were going to, but we didn't."

"Why not?" Alice's expression bordered on disappointment and disbelief.

"To put it simply: location, location, location," Bella sighed.

"Why not here?" Alice gestured to Bella's bedroom. "Your dad's always gone."

"Not anymore. Ever since me and Edward got back together, he's hardly gone fishing, let alone any overnight trips."

Alice looked like she was giving Bella's predicament some serious thought. Suddenly she snapped her fingers in mid-air. "Edward's birthday is coming up! Tell him to ask his parents to rent a hotel room for a party with his friends; only don't invite anyone and the two of you can have the whole night!"

Bella rolled her eyes again. "Like Edward's parents are stupid enough to fall for that. The fact that Edward would want to have a birthday party would be enough of a tip-off. Plus, even if they believed that, Edward's house is really nice. His parents would just want to have the party there."

"True." Alice sighed in defeat. "Well…I'd offer my house, but that's kind of…"

"Weird," Bella interjected. "But thanks anyway."

"It'll happen."

"Yeah, I'm not really worried about it."

It was partially the truth. While Bella _was_ concerned about the actual act itself, she had already accepted the fact that it _would_ happen. She knew that she and Edward were on the same page, and when the opportunity presented itself, they would seize it.

********

The high school campus was teeming with college recruiters. Edward grimaced as he walked past one woman who smiled at him and held out a brochure to a school he couldn't care less about. Shirking by her, he briefly noticed that the school was in New Hampshire. He was only slightly certain that that was in the United States, but from what he saw of the pictorial display, it looked too 'Forks-esque'.

By midday, however, Edward realized that there was more than just college information in the bags that were being handed out, so he started to accept the freebies that were thrown at him. Though he had no use for a magnetic calendar, the flashlight key chain would come in handy.

At the end of the day, Alice and Bella were at the tables in the quad trying to stash the information they'd received in their backpacks. Edward looked at the colorful array of bags, visors, water bottles and stress balls that Bella had accumulated with disdain.

"Who'd want to go to a college that hands out stress balls as a souvenir?" Edward asked.

Bella started laughing. "I didn't even think of that. That _is_ weird."

Because of his hectic schedule, Edward and Bella parted ways after school with promises to talk later that night.

Instead of going home first, Edward headed straight to Pipeline in hopes of being able to leave a little early and spend a little face time with Bella.

"Edward!" Brian greeted him upon his arrival. "Just the man I wanted to see."

Inwardly, Edward groaned. Usually when Brian was so jovial about something, it was because he was trying to counteract a negative reaction from Edward.

"Bathroom duty?" Edward assumed.

Brian laughed. "Later. But right now, I need you to tape a car off. It's getting ready to be sent out for painting."

"Oh, cool," Edward was excited to learn yet another facet of car and body work. "Which car?" Edward's eyes roamed the few vehicles parked in the parking lot.

Brian directed his attention to a car that had long since been moved inside. "Yours."

"Mine?" Edward asked incredulously. "But, we still have to sand the hood, and the windshield –" Edward stopped mid-sentence when his eyes landed upon the clear, flawless windshield that had been installed in his car. "When? How?"

"Your dad ordered it for you a little while back. We both agreed that you'd probably paid your penance by pounding out all the dents. And I had a little time this weekend, so I sanded down the hood. Don't ever say I never gave you anything," Brian smiled. When the moment seemed to be getting too sentimental, he cleared his throat and hardened his expression. "Besides, it's time to get that car back out on the road, where it belongs."

"Damn…" Edward whispered as he took in the situation. "Thanks, Brian."

Brian nodded. "Don't forget to thank your dad. He paid for that windshield, and the installation…though I may have given him an employee discount," Brian grinned.

Edward followed Brian's direction on how to tape off and apply plastic sheeting to his car to protect it from over-spray. The high of knowing his car was nearly good as new was almost enough to lift the dark mood Edward felt himself slipping into…almost. Though he was grateful to Brian and Carlisle for accelerating the process of having his car fixed, Edward really felt that pounding out dents would have done him a world of good.

"Edward."

He looked up to see Brian peering down at him. "Yeah?"

"I've been talking to you for a good five minutes. What's going on inside of that head of yours?" Brian asked.

"Oh. Sorry," Edward offered, but he didn't answer Brian's question.

"Bad day? Something happen at school?" Brian pressed.

Edward stopped what he was doing and sat still, his eyes riveted to the car. Talking about his "issues" wasn't one of his strong points, but Brian had proven to be a great listener and someone who didn't pump him full of bullshit.

"Not really…just…all this college crap at school today. It's…kinda messin' with my head," Edward admitted.

"Thinking about going away?" Brian asked.

Edward shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Man, I _hate_ school. I can't wait to get done. And I fuckin' don't need people pushing more of it on me, you know? Like I'm not gonna amount to shit if I don't go. I don't want to go."

"So don't go," Brian shrugged.

"Thank you!" Edward raised his hands in the air. "Finally someone says something I can use."

"Yeah," Brian nodded. "Just, you know, don't expect life to conform according to your convictions."

"And I need a fuckin' college degree just to understand that sentence," Edward mumbled.

Brian laughed. "You know what I mean, Edward. You're not a stupid kid. Look, as a general rule, getting an education makes things a bit easier on people. People who go to high school generally do better than those who don't. And those who go to college usually do even better. But there are exceptions to the rule. You could win the lottery on your eighteenth birthday, invest in a great stock and never have to work a day in your life."

Edward listened to Brian's words but didn't want to hear them. "Not everyone has to go to college to make something of themselves."

"True. And if I didn't think I'd be holding you back, I'd offer you a full time position as soon as you graduated, Edward."

It was a compliment. Edward recognized it immediately. However, it was also cloaked in an opinion.

"So you think I should go to college." It was a statement, more than a question.

"I look at you, Edward, and I see…a great mind. I see an aptitude beyond the average guy your age-"

It's just too much…trouble. And I hate reading." It was Edward's way of saying he couldn't.

"You like music, Edward?" Brian asked.

Edward hoped Brian was changing the subject, but something told him not to get his hopes up. He answered the question anyway.

"Yeah."

"Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Rick Allen, Beethoven…do you know what all those people have in common?"

"Uh…they're all dead?" Edward guessed.

"Wrong. Steven Wonder and Rick Allen aren't dead," Brian corrected. "They're all amazing musicians that overcame some pretty tough obstacles to be the great people they are."

Edward sighed. He'd heard all the "you can do it" pep talks he needed to hear over the years from Esme.

"I know some people do it. That's great. What's that got to do with me?" Edward questioned.

"If what you say is true, and reading is an obstacle for you, are you going to be one of those people who overcomes a hardship and goes on to great things?"

Edward shook his head. "There's a big difference between someone who doesn't read and someone who can play a piano without being able to see it."

"Not really," Brian disagreed. "If you have this massive talent and you have no motivation and you do absolutely nothing with it, you're just a schmuck with talent. There are millions of those."

"There're also millions of piano players. Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles stood out because there was something different about them. There's nothing different about me."

"How do you know that?"

"I know."

"All you know is that reading isn't your thing. Now, whether you develop a love of reading and master it, or figure out a way to overcome the reading to do what you love; that's up to you."

"That's just it. I don't think there's anything I'd love to do."

Brian looked over at him with a smirk on his face. "That's usually what people figure out in college."

********

Though they spoke on the phone and saw each other at school and as often as possible outside of it, the week was nearing its end and Bella had hardly spent any time with Edward. He seemed to be in a continual limbo between a good mood and a bad one, and Bella wondered if it had anything to do with how little time they'd been spending together.

On Wednesday, Edward was making fun of the way Jasper and Alice had unintentionally worn a similar color scheme. They all had a good laugh at his leading, and he seemed to be fine. Thursday started off much the same way, and Bella was relieved. But at the end of the day, while he was standing with Bella at her locker as she collected all that she needed for homework, some invisible trigger set him off. He became sullen and withdrawn and remained that way even when Bella had called him later that night.

Friday showed little improvement. A grumpy Edward greeted Bella after her second class, but at least this time he'd had an explanation. His sister had been up half the night throwing up and his parents had been running up and down the stairs, which prevented him from getting much sleep.

"Is Maddie okay?" Bella asked with concern.

"Yeah. I think it's just the flu," Edward shrugged. "But my mom said she had a really high fever so that's why they were all panicked about it."

Without a second thought, Bella reached up and rubbed small circles on Edward's back to comfort him. He chided her that if she didn't stop he was going to fall asleep right there, but Bella wondered if he was secretly trying to avoid the public display of affection amidst their peers.

"Are you okay?" It was the same question she'd asked him countless times over the past few days.

"Yeah," Edward said quietly. It was the way he always answered.

Bella insisted that she didn't have cause for worry and had almost completely convinced herself of such – until she couldn't find Edward at lunchtime.

"Did you see him?" Bella asked Jasper when lunch was half over and Edward still hadn't appeared.

Jasper shook his head and looked to Alice to see if she knew anything. She didn't.

"Did you try calling him?" Alice asked the obvious.

"It goes straight to voicemail. I sent him a text, too, but nothing," Bella said.

Alice careened her neck towards the smoking rock. "Did you check the rock?"

"He's not there," Jasper stated quickly. When Bella gave him a look, indicating that he might know Edward's whereabouts after all, Jasper added. "He's trying to quit smoking. He didn't want me to say anything, in case he couldn't do it."

"That explains it!" Bella smiled, momentarily forgetting her concern over Edward's whereabouts. "He's been such a grouch lately, and he kept telling me nothing was wrong."

"Don't tell him I told you. He'll be pissed if he starts smoking again and you give him hell about it," Jasper warned.

"I won't." Bella was so relieved to have enlightenment on Edward's sour disposition that she was able to eat her lunch in peace.

Yet by the end of the day when Edward still hadn't materialized, Bella was nearly climbing the walls wondering where he was. When her phone chirped soon after school ended, Bella didn't bother hiding her worry.

"Where _are_ you?" she asked him.

"I'm at the hospital," he said casually. "My mom called me out. Maddie's in the hospital."

"Why? What happened?"

"We're not sure yet, but they're running tests. Anyway, I have to keep my phone off inside, so I came outside to call you as soon as I knew school was out."

"You should have sent me a text. I was worried."

"Too much to type."

"Well…do you want me to come be with you? Is there anything you need?"

"Not right now. We're just sitting here and it's boring as hell. I'll call you later when I actually know something."

Bella nodded, even though Edward couldn't see her. She understood that he was worried about his sister, but she felt helpless in her inability to do nothing but wait.

"It's Friday. You can't sit home alone and do nothing. You're coming to my house," Alice insisted. Her eyes roamed the campus for a minute before landing on Bella. Bella recognized this to mean that Alice was looking for Rosalie.

Though no one had seen or spoken to her since the altercation, it was rumored that Rosalie wouldn't be returning to Forks High. This seemed likely since she hadn't been to school in nearly two weeks, but still, Alice often silently searched for her. She never said anything about it, and no one asked, but it was evident there was a mourning process going on at the loss of her friend.

"I thought we were going to the bowling alley," Jasper reminded her.

Alice rolled her eyes at his pouting expression. "That place smells. Plus, I have much better food at my house."

Bella immediately felt like an intrusion on their plans, so she tried to excuse herself but Alice wouldn't hear it.

"We're just going to watch a movie or something. No big deal," she said.

Jasper caught Bella watching him and he quickly changed his expression from one of disgruntlement to indifference.

"Maybe. I have to check with my dad. I'll call you." It was a compromise but it was all Bella was willing to offer.

Jasper looked hopeful.

When Bella made it home from the long day at school, she was slightly annoyed to find her father sitting on the sofa. Bella wondered if he knew how obvious he was about being home more often since she and Edward had gotten back together.

She noticed he eyed the door as she walked through it, most likely expecting Edward to follow her in. The first sentence out of his mouth confirmed that suspicion.

"Where's Romeo?"

Not in the mood to engage in verbal sparring, Bella set aside her caustic remark and answered honestly. "He's at the hospital. His sister is really sick."

Charlie's tone immediately changed and he looked genuinely worried. "Is she going to be okay?"

Bella shrugged. "He said he'd call me when they knew what was going on. His mom is freaking out."

Charlie nodded his understanding. "You gonna hang around here tonight then?"

"I don't know. Alice invited me over. I might just stay home though."

Charlie looked at his watch. "A few guys down at the station have a poker game going on. I might pop in on that if you don't need me here."

"No, I'll be fine. If I'm not here when you get back, I'm at Alice's." Bella began to ascend the stairs when her father stopped her.

"Next time you see Edward, tell him I'm sorry to hear about his sister."

"Will do." And Bella disappeared without another word. It was probably out of line for her to feel irked that her dad felt comfortable going out now that he knew Edward wasn't free for the night; even still, she was.

By five o'clock, Bella grew tired of waiting for Edward, so she showered and dressed in preparation of going over to Alice's house. When she picked up her phone to call Alice and let her know of her impending arrival, she saw that she'd missed Edward's call.

"Shoot," Bella muttered. "Just my luck." She called him back, fully expecting him to have already turned his phone off again; she was pleasantly surprised when he answered.

"Hey," he said, mid-chew.

"Sorry I missed your call. How is she?" Bella asked about Maddie.

"She's sick as hell," Edward admitted. "But she's gonna be okay. She had something blocking her intestine or some shit. They might have to do surgery, but at least they know what it is so the doctors know what to do. Her fever's not so high now."

"That's good," Bella exhaled. "How's your mom?"

"Good. She's gonna stay overnight at the hospital though. Both my parents are."

"Are you staying, too?"

"Hell no. I'm already at home."

"Oh." Bella hadn't considered that Edward would be calling her from his house. "How'd you get home?"

"My mom dropped me off when she came here to pick up some stuff for my sister. She just left."

Bella understood what Edward was communicating without him actually saying it. He waited until his mother left before he called her so as not to alert Esme of his intentions.

"You wanna come over?" he asked.

"Uh…yeah. I'll be there in a little bit," she answered.

Bella caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror as she grabbed her backpack and shoved a few items in it. Silently she wondered: _Is it cliché, or will I look different when I come home?_

"Alice, just so you know, my dad thinks I'm staying over at your house," Bella informed her friend.

"Oh, okay. Where are you going?" Alice asked nonchalantly.

"Edward's."

"Oh. Okay," Alice seemed unperturbed at being replaced for the evening. "Wait…you're staying the night?"

"Yep. Bye, Alice." Bella quickly hung up. This was an event that needed no commentary and Bella was hasty to dodge it.

********

Edward muttered curses to himself over the fact that he still didn't have a driver's license. Life would be so much easier if he did. He lightly pondered how Bella would arrive at his house. _Surely she wouldn't ask her dad to drop her off, would she?_

Twenty minutes later she arrived and put his wonders to rest.

"I rode the bus," she answered when he asked. "I really miss my truck."

"My dad's not going to make me wait to get my license. I'm going down on my birthday to take my test, so hopefully I'll be driving you around soon."

"I can't wait," Bella said after peppering him with a kiss hello. It seemed like they'd been talking about Edward's driving ability, or lack thereof, since the day they'd met.

"So…are you hungry…or…" Bella prattled nervously.

"No, I ate. You?" Edward recognized Bella's anxiety and interpreted it to mean that she had the same intentions for the evening as he did.

"I'm good," she nodded.

They stood in the kitchen awkwardly; Edward grinned at Bella when she caught his eye. She laughed a little and the tension decreased immensely.

"Do you want to watch a movie or something?" Edward asked.

Bella's eyes darted towards the staircase. "Sure…but can I put my stuff in your room first?" she held up her backpack.

Edward led her up to his room and showed her inside. He watched as she dropped her backpack in the corner before stepping over to his bookshelf to browse through the CDs he had there. She pulled one out and handed it to him, an unspoken request for him to put it on. He took one look at it and waved her off before picking up his ipod, inserting it into his stereo and pressing play. The same music from the CD filled the air.

The aforementioned movie was long forgotten. It was obvious that neither of them really wanted to watch one anyway.

Edward inaudibly watched as Bella browsed the items housed in his room, as if she'd never seen them before. He could see that she was nervous, but instead of forcing her to face it, he bided his time with a magazine, pretending to be interested in the cars there.

"I like that one," Bella pointed to a British import when she appeared by his side moments later.

Edward shifted so that she fit comfortably next to him on his bed. They stretched out and Edward lifted the magazine so they could both view it. However, when Bella wrapped her arm around his torso and angled her face towards his, Edward quickly discarded the magazine and mimicked her movement.

"Are you still worried about your sister?" Bella asked as she reached up and stroked Edward's hair with her fingers.

"Nah, now that I know she's gonna be fine, it's okay," Edward answered truthfully.

Bella nodded and kept her eyes on the hand that she'd placed on Edward's chest. Gently he rubbed her chin with his fingers before lifting her face so that he could look into her eyes.

"Are _you_ okay?" he asked. When Bella's face flushed with color, he knew she understood exactly what he was asking.

"I guess I'm a little nervous," she admitted.

Edward knew there were a million things he could have said in that moment, the first being to remind her that they didn't have to do anything if she didn't want to. But aside from the fact that he _really_ wanted to be with her, Edward was convinced that Bella wanted this as well. It just felt right. It was time.

"Don't be," he said softly. And then, just in case she needed to hear it, he added, "I love you."

The bedroom grew dark from the lack of natural light, and the steady infusion of the music set the tone for the progression and evolution of Bella and Edward's relationship. Quick and steady kisses, meant to reassure the other's presence, were replaced by deep, longing passionate embraces.

Edward rolled atop Bella and settled between her legs, letting her get used to feeling the definition of him there while fully clothed. Continually he whispered words of loving care and encouragement in her ear and Bella responded in kind.

After what seemed like an eternity of foreplay, Edward and Bella finally lay naked atop his sheets. His hands rested on her hips as his lips ghosted across the swell of her breast.

"Ready?" he asked.

Bella looked up, her eyes full of lust and desire for him. "Yes."

Slowly, Edward pushed forward into Bella; inch by ball-shattering inch, she welcomed him, until suddenly, her thighs clamped down tight around him.

"Is it in?" she asked.

Edward could tell by the expression on her face that she so badly wanted the answer to be yes.

"Not yet," he disappointed her. He began moving again when she cried out.

"Wait, wait…" her eyes were shut tight. "Go slower."

If he'd gone any slower, he'd be stone still, but Edward decided against telling her as much. Instead, he continued to press into her.

"Stop," Bella winced as she pressed her small fists against his shoulders. "It hurts."

"It stops hurting once you get used to it," Edward informed her.

Bella shook her head. "Can you…just take it out for a minute?"

Edward looked down and watched himself withdraw from Bella. He was disappointed to see that he had been less than halfway in – a discovery he didn't share with Bella.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I wasn't expecting it to hurt like that."

Edward lay with Bella's back facing him. He showered her shoulder with kisses as he rubbed his hand up and down her arm. "Do you want to try it with a condom?"

"Will that help?" Bella asked hopefully. Her anxiousness for it to work was obvious.

"Maybe," Edward answered as he reached into his bedside table and grabbed a small foil-wrapped packaged.

Edward looked upon Bella as she nervously watched him roll on the condom before resuming his position between her thighs.

"Open your legs more," Edward said against her ear.

Bella did as he suggested, but as soon as he'd entered a little more than the tip of his cock inside of her, Bella's legs attempted to close again.

"Relax, Bella," Edward cooed soothingly.

"I…can't," she responded. "It _really_ hurts."

With a defeated sigh, Edward pulled out and rolled over on his back. He stared at the ceiling as he tried to ignore both his disappointment and the massive case of blue balls that was setting in. He pulled off the barely used condom and tossed it behind him, not caring to notice where it landed.

"I'm sorry." Bella's voice sounded tiny as it pierced the darkness.

"Quit saying that," Edward said as he turned to face her. "It's fine."

Bella's pshaw revealed that she was on the brink of tears. To distract her, and ward off the waterworks, Edward suggested they go downstairs and watch a movie.

As they descended the stairs, he wondered how big of a dick he'd be if he sneaked into the bathroom and jacked off.

He decided not to find out.

********

Bella was horrified as she took in the nonchalant way that Edward moved around the family room, flipping on lights and hoarding remote controls. Did he not care that his defective girlfriend was physically unable to have sex?

"Oh, this is a good one," Edward said when his channel surfing led him to a gladiator movie.

Felling like a failure and a letdown, Bella did not seek solace in the comfort of Edward's nearness. Instead, she took a seat on the floor and stared at the television, though she wasn't really watching it.

"What, do I stink or something?" Edward asked a few minutes later when he joined her on the floor, sitting behind her and forcing her to recline against his chest.

"No…that would be me," Bella stated in her melancholy regarding her sexual performance.

"Oh knock it off," Edward said in his refusal to allow her to wallow.

"I'm serious," Bella said insistently. "I think something's wrong with me."

"Nothing's wrong with you," Edward said as he swept her hair to the side and kissed her neck. "It's just gonna take time, that's all."

Bella didn't understand how he could be so casual about the whole experience. Here they were, alone for an entire night, and she was single-handedly squandering their rare opportunity. Commence self-loathing.

Twenty minutes later, when it was clear that Edward was going to watch the _whole_ movie, Bella faked a yawn and told him that she was going to bed.

"If you want to take a shower, the towels are in the closet right outside of the bathroom," he offered.

She considered telling him that she'd showered before coming to his house, but on second thought, a shower sounded nice. Maybe it would wash the shame away.

Bella stood under the spray of the warm water for longer than she normally would, thinking Edward might decide to join her. He didn't. _Can I blame him?_

Sadly, she turned off the water, wrapped the towel tightly around her body and trudged back to Edward's room.

She was surprised to find him waiting for her in his bed.

"Feel better?" he asked her.

She shook her head no, but willingly climbed into his bed when he held up the blanket for her; scarcely aware of the damp towel around her.

"Mmm, you smell good," Edward whispered as he kissed her right below the ear.

Bella closed her eyes and drank in the moment. Surely Edward had to know what he was doing with those _whispers!_

"You _feel_ good…" Edward said lowly as his hands cascaded over her shoulders, down her arms, and once he tugged the towel away from her body, over her breasts.

"And I know you _taste_ good," continued Edward as he took the hardened tip of Bella's nipple into his mouth.

The fact that he continued to desire her after their earlier fiasco filled Bella's heart to overflowing with love for the boy who called her his own. And she didn't hesitate to share this with him as the words tumbled from her lips, amidst accolades and praises for the sensations he was bringing to her body.

When Edward glided down past Bella's navel and arrived face first between her legs, Bella fisted his hair beneath her fingers, knowing the pleasure that was imminent. The alternate use of his tickling fingers and his lapping tongue caused Bella to reach her climax in mere minutes. While she was still reveling in the aftershocks of her orgasm, Edward mounted her and using the slickness that resulted from his actions, he entered her, pressing through the resistance he felt.

Bella wanted this, _him_, so badly. She bit down, hard, on her bottom lip, resolved to get through the intense burning sensation she felt ripping through her loins. She steeled herself until she knew she couldn't take it anymore. But just when she opened her mouth to tell Edward no more, he leaned into her and whispered, "It's in, baby," before kissing her on the cheek.

Very slowly, Edward began the sensual dance of advance and retreat as he moved within Bella. His guttural grunts and heavy breathing signaled the effect his actions were having on him.

The rhythm of his movements faltered as he neared his release; the restraint he'd held in place was being lost to his feral urges. Bella whimpered underneath him as he pumped hard once, then twice, deep within her.

"Mmpff.." Edward forced.

Bella looked upon his strained features: teeth clenched, nostrils slightly flared and his eyes fluttering under taut lids. He looked absolutely ravishing at the peak of his pleasure. Lovingly, Bella ran her fingertips along his back and arms, solidifying their connectedness – their oneness.

"I love you," she said as she placed a kiss on his bare chest.

"You, too," Edward managed as he tried to regulate his breathing.

Afterward, Edward held her loosely in his arms and Bella tried in earnest to ignore an uncomfortable trickle between her legs. She looked over at Edward to see if he noticed anything out of the ordinary, but he was already fast asleep.

With gentleness and care, so as not to awake him, Bella disengaged herself from his embrace and went to the bathroom. After flipping on the switch, she inspected herself in the ample light.

A slight amount of a blood-tinged milky substance coated the inside of her thigh. She recognized the fluid immediately for what it was and wiped it away with a small amount of toilet paper before sitting on the toilet to relieve herself.

"Oh my…" Bella's mouth clamped down on her fist to prevent the scream that wanted to erupt forth.

_Searing pain upon urination? Was that supposed to happen after sex? _

After gritting through the process, Bella wiped only to pull away a wad of toilet paper colored with blood. She immediately felt nauseated from the sight. Quickly, she cleaned herself up best she could before returning to Edward's room.

The dull ache between her legs prevented her from entering into a deep and restful sleep, but by the time the sun peered into the sky Bella had managed to dose off enough times to accumulate only a few hours of sleep.

She woke in the pale light with the urge to go to the bathroom yet again. She held off until the very last minute before dashing to the bathroom only to find that the fireball between her legs was still intact.

Once back in Edward's bed, she drifted back to sleep, only to have fitful dreams that alternated between someone putting a red-hot fireplace poker between her legs and a haunting apparition of Edward's dad, Carlisle. Even in the purgatory between being asleep and being awake, Bella found this dream to be odd.

A half an hour that felt like a half a second resulted in Edward lightly shaking Bella awake.

"Bella," his morning voice was thick and hoarse. "I don't know what time my parents are getting home, so we need to get moving."

That was all Bella needed to hear to get her up and going. The clock at the side of Edward's bed said that it was after seven in the morning. The bus wouldn't be running for another hour.

As Bella pulled on her pants, Edward came up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist. "I'll ride halfway with you," he offered.

"That's okay. You should probably call your parents and see how everything's going," Bella suggested.

Her statement led Edward to look around his room in search of his phone. Figuring he left it in the kitchen, he shrugged and turned his attention back to Bella.

"Are you alright?" he asked her.

Bella quickly nodded, thinking it better to forego telling Edward about the crimson puddle she was housing.

"Yeah, but I'd better get home. My dad is an early riser," she said.

Clad only in the pants he'd worn the previous day, Edward followed Bella downstairs and led her towards the front door.

"Call me when you get home," he said as he leaned in to kiss her.

"Edward?"

_Holy hell._

Both Bella and Edward turned slowly to find Carlisle staring at them from where he stood in the foyer.

"What's going on here?" he asked. "Bella, did you spend the night?"

Instead of answer, Bella stared at her shoes in mortified silence.

"Dad, we were just hanging out and we fell asleep-" Edward began.

"Oh cut the crap, Edward. I wasn't born yesterday," Carlisle interrupted him. He looked really disappointed as he focused all of his attention on his son.

"I came home to get some things that might make your sister more comfortable during _surgery_," Carlisle placed an emphasis on the last word, "only to find you two playing house in mine. Of all the times for you to take advantage of a situation…" Carlisle's anger got the best of him and he stopped talking mid-sentence.

Bella glanced over at Edward and saw that he looked stricken, though whether it was from the news of his sister or from being caught, she wasn't sure.

"Dad, we didn't-" Edward began again.

"Save it," Carlisle held up his hand to halt the explanation. "I don't have time to deal with this right now. I have to get back to the hospital before your sister has to go into surgery. Go upstairs and get dressed. Since I can't trust you to stay alone, I'll have to take you with me." And then, as if on second thought he added, "and don't think we're not going to talk about this, because we will. That means you too, Bella."

"Yes, Sir…sorry Mr. Cullen," Bella said quietly without looking up. "I'd better get home."

"I think that's a good idea," Carlisle told her.

Bella didn't wait around to say a final goodbye to Edward. She quickly walked out of the Cullen house as fast as her feet would carry her.

As soon as she was a safe enough distance away, Bella pulled out her phone and called Alice.

"Please, come get me. I'm in hell."


	31. Chapter 31 Abandonment Issues

**The Tutor**

**Chapter 31 – Abandonment Issues**

Edward felt extremely uncomfortable as he sat in the waiting room with Esme's hand clasped firmly over his. Every so often he'd cast a sideways glance in her direction to see her wiping at her eyes or nose with the wad of tissue she held in her other hand.

"I'm glad your dad brought you," she said when she caught him glancing at her. "I couldn't stand to be out here by myself while he's in there with Maddie."

"I can't believe they let him in there," Edward shook his head. There was no way he could stand to see anyone operated on, let alone a family member.

"He won't be in there the whole time. Just…until she's well under the anesthesia."

Edward nodded. Silently, he was glad Carlisle wasn't there to cast his disapproving looks in Edward's direction. The ride to the hospital had been a quiet one. Thankfully, Carlisle had spent most of it on the phone with his secretary rearranging his patients' appointments.

"Do you want something to drink or anything?" Edward offered, anxious to get up and stretch his legs a little.

Esme shook her head. "I'm fine, but you go ahead if you need to."

_If you need to._ Edward read between the lines on that one. She was telling him that she didn't want him to go, but she was willing to let him if he felt it absolutely necessary.

Edward hated the waiting room – he hated the hospital in general, but he swallowed his distaste and remained seated. With resignation, he slumped down in his seat and surrendered his hand to Esme for as long as she needed it.

He must have dosed off because he was awoken by the sounds of Esme and Carlisle speaking in calm, relieved tones.

"What happened?" Edward sat up and rubbed at his eyes.

"Everything's fine. Maddie did great. They just took her into the recovery room," Carlisle looked years younger than he had this morning. "I'm trying to convince your mother to go home and rest a bit."

Esme adamantly resisted. "No. You go on ahead and take Edward home. We'll switch later, but I want to be here when Maddie wakes up. Otherwise she'll be scared."

Edward watched as Carlisle gave in, knowing that there was no use in reminding his wife that Maddie could be calmed down with his presence as well.

"Ready, Edward?" Carlisle jingled his keys in his son's direction.

Instead of answer verbally, Edward simply stood in preparation of following. He hugged Esme awkwardly before making his way toward the exit.

Edward tried to pretend like he hadn't gotten enough sleep in the waiting room – that he also needed complete silence so that he could rest on the way home. Carlisle, however, had an opposing idea.

"Edward…" he began and stopped. "I know you can hear me."

With a sigh, Edward straightened up in his seat, but not before communicating to Carlisle, with every non-verbal gesture imaginable, that he didn't want to have _this_ conversation.

"What?"

"Don't 'what' me. You know what."

"Actually, I don't."

"What do you mean you don't? You had your girlfriend stay the night when no one was home. I'm supposed to be okay with that?"

"Well…yeah?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Isn't that what the whole 'make-sure-you-wear-a-condom' speech was all about that time? Because if you didn't expect me and Bella to be together, why'd you even bother?"

Carlisle was quiet for a long time, but then he pulled the car over and came to a stop. Edward looked around and noted that they were in the middle of nowhere. He looked over at his father for an explanation.

"Edward…_damn_, this is hard… on a rational level, I know that you're going to have sex, I do. I know that you've _had_ sex, and that once you start having sex, it's hard not to. However, that doesn't mean that I don't have certain…expectations for your moral character while you're living in my house."

"In English, please," Edward exhaled.

"Well first of all, you're seventeen. And seventeen-year-olds do not have the right to have sleepovers with their girlfriends in my house. And just in case you're wondering, neither to eighteen-year-olds. Second of all, you're part of this family, Edward. And when someone in this family is in a distressing situation, we're _all_ in a distressing situation. How would you feel, if while you were in the hospital facing an operation, your mother and I decided to take a vacation?"

"That's not the same thing."

"It may as well be. Your thoughts were on you, and you alone. All you cared about was getting laid – not about me, or your mother or your sister!"

"It wasn't like that!"

"Oh the hell it wasn't, Edward. You-"

"My brother died in that hospital, Carlisle; on that same fu-freakin' floor. And I can't remember many things that we did together outside of the damn hospital, so excuse me if I wanted to think about something else…anything else, other than Maddie lying in a hospital bed. I mean, you're a _doctor, _and if you were scared…" Edward trailed off and turned to look out the window.

Carlisle could see the emotion on Edward's face through the reflection in the passenger side window. Though he felt compassion for what Edward had just shared, he wasn't about to turn this into a situation where he was apologizing to Edward for setting forth rules. Instead, he put his hand atop Edward's and patted it softly, letting the gesture say all that needed to be said.

"We'll talk more later," Carlisle said quietly before putting the car into drive and guiding it towards home.

********

When Bella had completed her shower, dressed and returned to her bedroom, Alice was sitting on her bed, waiting for her.

"Okay. Start talking. Seriously, Bella, you're freaking me out," Alice stated.

Bella moved slowly across her bedroom and climbed cautiously onto her bed before facing her friend. "I told you it wasn't anything to get freaked over."

"Like hell! First, you call me at an ungodly hour on a Saturday morning, then you get in my car and absolutely refuse to tell me anything until you've had a shower. What the hell is that?"

"I was…uncomfortable," Bella hinted.

"Okay," Alice smoothed her hands over her hair before holding them, palms up, in front of Bella, "Start at the beginning."

Bella glanced at her bedroom door, making sure it was closed. Once she was sure she couldn't see the shadow of her father's footprints beneath the door, she continued.

"Edward called and asked me to come over, and I knew he meant for the night, because he mentioned that his parents weren't going to be home."

"Yeah, and?" Alice egged her on.

"And that's when I called you to cover for me."

"Right, right."

"So…I went over there and we hung out…and stuff…and then we…tried to…" Bella frowned as her fingers picked at her bedspread. _Should she tell of all their failed attempts, or just the fact that it finally happened?_

"Did you guys have sex or not?" Alice blurted out.

"Alice!" Bella glanced at the door. "Yeah, we did." She, bashfully, looked down at her hands.

"And…how was it?"

Bella looked into her friend's eyes with a serious expression on her face. "Alice, you know how everyone always says sex hurts the first time?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, there needs to be a better description. Shots hurt. Bee stings hurt. First-time sex deserves it's own classification of pain."

"That bad, huh?"

"I can't even describe it. I couldn't even do it at first. I had to keep telling him to stop. It felt like I was splitting in half."

"Whoa," Alice grimaced at the mental picture. "Haven't you guys fooled around? Has he ever used his fingers or anything?"

"Yes! That's why I was so freaked out when it hurt so much. I mean, if he can get three fingers up there, he should be able to get his dick in, right?" Bella whispered the word for the male anatomy.

Alice giggled. "I guess Edward is just really well endowed."

Bella smiled, but didn't laugh. She had pressing matters on her mind and she hoped Alice had answers for her.

"So…is it…normal to bleed afterwards?"

"Totally," Alice nodded reassuringly.

"How much?"

Alice shrugged. "It depends. I mean, you shouldn't have to wear a tampon or anything. Why? Are you bleeding a lot?"

Bella nodded. "Not like a period or anything, but I have to wear a pad…and it's been since last night."

Alice thought for a moment. "I think that's fine."

"What about your first time? Did it burn when you went to the bathroom afterwards?"

Alice shook her head. "No. It sounds like you ripped a little bit."

Bella groaned and flopped back against her headboard.

"Wait a minute…" Alice straightened up suddenly as if something had just occurred to her. "So, you've just had sex for the first time, you're in pain, bleeding, scared… and that asshole made you walk home from his house?"

Bella shook her head. "Oh, I haven't told you the worst part."

"There's _more_?" Alice was amazed.

"Oh yeah." Bella closed her eyes and related the story of how Edward was going to ride halfway home with her on the bus; but when they got downstairs to leave, there was Edward's dad, sitting at the kitchen counter.

"Oh no!" Alice covered her mouth in horror. "He caught you guys?"

"Well not in the act…but he may as well have. Anyway, I wanted out of that house so quickly that I just ran out. I didn't even bother to say bye to Edward."

"Aw, Bella. I'm sorry it was such a …hard experience for you. But it only gets better. I promise."

Bella smiled wearily. She knew on the surface that her body wasn't 'aching' for a second go of it, but in her heart, she couldn't wait to give Edward that experience again – to see his ecstasy and know that she was the cause of it. However, she really hoped Alice was right and that it wouldn't hurt the next time.

Alice left soon after their talk. Thanks to Bella's frantic early morning call, Alice was lacking in the sleep department and needed to catch up on it before her evening plans with Jasper.

Though Bella was thankful that Alice was able to put her mind at ease on the major issues, it became apparent that there were things that Bella needed answers to that she didn't feel comfortable discussing with Alice. And Alice had told Bella that she _thought_ everything sounded normal, but she wasn't sure. Bella wanted to know for sure.

It had been a few years since she'd been to a gynecologist. Actually, she'd only been once. It was the most painful and awkward experience of her teen years, well, until last night, but at least then she got to see Edward naked. Still, Bella was now certain that it was time to go again, if for no other reason than to have her questions answered.

All the doctors listed for the gynecology department in Forks were men and Bella didn't feel comfortable with that. But as she searched the yellow pages, she did see a listing for a Women's Clinic that was local. She felt confident that she'd be able to have her questions answered there, and according to their ad, they had walk-in appointments. She planned to go in on Monday after school.

Bella glanced over at the clock like she had done so many times that afternoon. Edward had sent her a text asking if she was okay and she'd messaged him back stating that she was fine, but asking him to call her. He said he'd call her later that night. Edward wasn't very wordy in his text messages, so she'd had to read between the lines, but it didn't take much to figure out that a little girl's surgery took precedent over the penal code in regards to teenage lust.

After a long nap, Bella traipsed downstairs to make dinner. Upon noticing that her father was two beers into a game on the sports channel, she decided that it was as good a time as any to hit him up for the keys to his truck.

"Dad, can I borrow your truck on Monday? It's a half day at school so I won't have it all day," she explained.

"What do you need it for?" he asked, turning his attention from the television to her.

"Oh, uh, I have a doctor's appointment."

At her statement, Charlie seemed to appraise her silently for a few moments. "What kind of doctor's appointment?"

"Just a regular checkup. I figured I'd do this, and then go to the dentist before I turn eighteen, while I'm still on your insurance." Bella rattled off the story she'd planned in case he'd asked.

"Huh," Charlie mumbled as he continued to look her over. "I noticed that Alice was here this morning."

"Yeah," Bella shrugged her shoulders and turned her hands palms up, as if to ask 'so what'.

"No big deal…it's just that you and Alice sure do have a lot to talk about for two girls who just spent the entire night together."

"Well…yeah…I guess." Bella knew she was a horrible liar, and so did her father. She looked at him and saw that he was looking at her in that 'I-used-to-interrogate-criminals-for-a-living-so-don't-even-try-it' kind of way.

And whether it was cliché or not, Bella knew that in that moment, she _did_ look different – to her father, anyway. Whether it was that he knew, by some special intuition, that she'd had sex with Edward, or her statement about the insurance had reminded him that she'd be an adult in a few short months; Bella recognized the defeat in his eyes. She was growing up, and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it.

"So can I borrow your truck?"

"Uh…yeah. Go ahead."

********

Edward felt the awkwardness of the position he was in as he wandered into the kitchen in search of food. His talk with Carlisle had left him in a state of disciplinary limbo, not really knowing if he was in trouble or not. Once they'd gotten home, Carlisle had disappeared into his office without another word, leaving Edward to wonder if the television was off limits or not. He was prepared for Carlisle to come out of his office with a legal pad of all of his infractions and punishments, but the day was giving way to evening, and still, Carlisle had not appeared.

Regardless of the possible garnishment of his privileges, Edward knew that he had to call Bella. He'd sent her a text message earlier asking if she was all right; she said that she was, but that she wanted him to call her. He didn't know much about boyfriend etiquette, but calling your girlfriend after deflowering her had to be a given, and he knew Bella expected it.

At the thought of their first sexual experience, Edward didn't know whether to smile or frown. He was so glad to experience that milestone with Bella, but he could tell she'd had a difficult time, even if she was trying to hide it from him. But he'd seen the blood, on himself, and then on his sheets when he'd gotten up that morning. He knew she was probably freaking out on the inside, always afraid that she was different or defective in some way. He hated that he hadn't been able to ride home with her and comfort her on the short journey. But Carlisle had caught them as they were leaving…

Edward had to laugh out loud. Even he had to admit that that shit was so bad it was funny. He had snuck in and out of some pretty harrowing situations and had _never _been caught. And here's Bella, probably the first time she's ever done anything that ranked on the parental disapproval scale, and she gets caught.

When Edward pulled out his phone to call Bella, just to check on her and make sure she was okay, Carlisle poked his head into the kitchen.

"Got a minute?" he asked.

By the way he'd asked the simple question, Edward knew this was going to take longer than a minute. He nodded and took a seat at the counter, almost in the same place Carlisle had been seated earlier that morning.

"So, your mom is on her way home and she's quite stressed about all that's been going on the last few days," Carlisle paused. "So, I need you to be on your best behavior and pitch in and help out more around here…and stay out of trouble."

Edward looked up to see his father watching him as if he were supposed to interject something, but he didn't know what.

"I have been staying out of trouble," Edward defended himself.

Carlisle cocked an eyebrow at him, but let the comment slide. "And though I don't believe in keeping secrets from your mother, I think we might hold off on telling her about your weekend escapade until things calm down a bit around here."

"What weekend escapade?"

Esme had come into the house undetected, only to find her husband and son hunched over the kitchen counter like they were planning international espionage.

Edward looked on as Carlisle stuttered and stammered through his answer. "Uh, we'll talk about it later. How was Maddie when you left?"

"She was fine, a little groggy." Esme answered as she walked into the kitchen and stood at the end of the counter between Carlisle and Edward. "So, what happened here this weekend?"

"We'll talk about it later," Carlisle gave her a telling look. But Esme refused to be put off.

"No, tell me now. What's wrong?" she seemed worried.

Carlisle exhaled loudly and looked across the stretch of granite at Edward. "Edward?" he prompted.

When Esme turned to look at Edward for an explanation, he felt like he had just been thrown to the wolves. He looked at Carlisle mournfully, but Carlisle simply shrugged and nodded for him to go on.

"Bella…stayed over," Edward said quietly.

"Oh." Disappointment colored Esme's countenance, but she didn't address Edward any further. Instead she announced that she was going to get cleaned up and then head back to the hospital.

It was then that Edward understood how what he'd done hurt his parents. They thought he didn't care – that he was a lost cause. That spoke louder than any words Esme could have uttered.

********

Sunday was a quiet day. Bella talked to Edward briefly on the phone, only to hear him say that he'd call her later that night, but he didn't. She sent him a text, but he didn't respond. Knowing that he was back and forth visiting his sister at the hospital, she buried her insecure feelings deep within and got through her day.

On Monday, Bella drove herself to school in Charlie's truck, and tucked her immunization record in the glove compartment before she got out and headed into the school.

Jasper was the first person she spotted, but he was with a few people Bella didn't recognize, so she waved from afar but didn't approach him. She scoured the campus for Edward, before deciding that he'd probably be waiting for her at her locker.

He was.

"Hey," she smiled when she caught sight of him.

"Sorry I didn't call you back last night," he mumbled. "Things were…weird and I didn't get back 'til late."

"Oh, I figured," Bella said, eager to disregard the tension between them. "I'm so glad we only have a half day today. Aren't you?"

"Always." Edward moved to the side to grant Bella entrance to her locker. As she began swapping books out, he reached in and grabbed a few of the brochures she'd collected from the college recruiters.

"What is this shit?" he asked as he leafed through the colorful brochure.

"Hell if I know," Bella scoffed in return as she looked over her shoulder to see what he was referring to.

"Well if you don't know what it is, why do you have it?"

At first, Bella had thought that he was playing around, but when she turned to face him, the serious look on his face threw her for a loop.

"Edward, what's going on?" she asked him, afraid of his answer.

"Smite college. Where the fuck is that?"

"Smith College. It's in Massachusetts." Bella grabbed the flyer away from him and shoved it back in her locker. "What's the matter with you."

"Nothing," Edward shrugged. "What's up with afterschool?"

"Oh…uh, I have an appointment. Do you want to meet up afterwards?" Bella asked. She purposefully concealed the fact that she had a doctor's appointment for fear that Edward would ask her what kind. The last thing she wanted him to know was that he'd fucked her so hard she thought he'd rattled something loose in there.

"Yeah. I'll call you."

But something in the way he said it made Bella unsure. _Queue gnawing nervous feeling._

********

The school day was so short that Edward wondered why he had bothered coming to school at all. Quickly he located Jasper and inquired about his afterschool plans. He hoped they included food because Esme hadn't been cooking and he'd been surviving on leftovers that weren't very appetizing.

"I'm starving," Edward hinted. "Where's Alice?"

"She's not coming. Some college recruiter is meeting with her in the counselor's office," Jasper answered as he fished his keys out of his pocket.

Edward stopped walking beside Jasper. "An appointment?"

"What?"

"Nevermind. Come on. I need to get out of here."

After grabbing a quick bite to eat, Jasper said that he was supposed to pick Alice up from the school. Edward insisted upon being dropped off at home on the way. Now that his belly was full, he was no longer interested in hanging out. Instead, he wanted to go home and sulk about the turn of recent events.

When he entered his home, he heard Esme in the kitchen and silently cursed because whatever she was cooking smelled way better than what he'd just eaten.

"That smells great," Edward inhaled the scent of the heavenly food.

Esme offered a slight smile but didn't say anything in return. Instead, she returned the lid to a steaming pot and changed the setting of the stove temperature.

"Still giving me the silent treatment I see," Edward called her out. "That's real mature."

Esme started at his crack on her maturity and threw down the dishtowel she was holding.

"Edward." Esme simply whispered his name and shook her head back and forth.

Edward gave her a stare, challenging her to continue. "What?"

"I don't even know where to start."

"Look, I said I was sorry about…what happened while you guys weren't here. And I get that I should have been thinking more about Maddie…or whatever. What more do you want from me?"

"Respect, Edward. That's what I want from you. Respect for me, for your father and the rules we set, for this family, for yourself and for Bella.

"How am I disrespectful to Bella?" There was no use in asking how he disrespected his family. He already knew the answer to that.

"Edward, Bella has innocent written all over her," Esme stated with pursed lips.

"Don't say I took advantage of Bella, because I didn't. You weren't there. You don't know," Edward got defensive.

"Edward, sex is a big deal for a girl-"

"I already had the sex talk with Carlisle."

"You had the safety talk with Carlisle. You did not talk about the emotional ramifications sex has for girls."

When Edward remained silent, Esme knew she was right.

"Girls are…different, Edward. We are emotional beings. Bella wouldn't have slept with you if she didn't feel something _emotional_ for you."

"I know that."

"But you…men, are more physical, by nature."

"Are you telling me that I don't care about Bella? Because that's just not true."

"How do you feel about her?"

Must to Esme's surprise, Edward started laughing – a menacing, maniacal laugh that resonated off the cherry wood and granite countertops.

"You want to know if I'm in love with Bella?" The smile disappeared quickly from Edward's face. "I know the difference between guys and girls, Mom. I know that girls dream about falling in love. They watch shows about it. They write notes about it. They chat on the phone for hours guessing about what it'll be like when it finally happens for them. But guys? We run from it. We see it happen to other people and swear we'll never be one of the ones that fall so hard for a girl that we barely know our own name. So believe me, when I say that I love Bella, I know what the hell I'm talking about because I'm the first one to know how much easier my life would be if I didn't."

Esme stared at Edward for a long time, watching him and taking in what he'd said. She'd said from the beginning that he and Bella had very deep feelings for one another, and in her opinion, those feelings had formed too quickly and too deeply for their age. But how could she make him see how scary it was for her, as a mother, to watch him walk this tightrope between a healthy, successful future and a life-altering downfall below. Did he know enough about life to know the risks he was taking? Had she and Carlisle taught him enough?

Instead of ask all the questions that were swirling around in her mind, Esme simply touched her hand to his cheek. He let her stand there with her hand cupping his face, her thumb loving stroking his jaw.

"Bella's leaving, Mom," he said softly.

"What?" Esme smiled, thinking she hadn't heard him correctly.

"She's seeing all these college recruiters for far away places." Edward moved away from Esme then, finally speaking the words that had been haunting him since the college recruiters landed on the high school grounds.

"Edward, you guys still have to get through your senior year. So much can change in a year."

Edward shook his head. "If she's deciding that sh-stuff now, that means that she already ready to leave. She's already considering it because she knows I can't…"

"You can't what?"

"I can't go to college."

"Edward –"

"And don't tell me I can because I know I can't. I couldn't even read the damn college name on the paper they handed out – and don't think that Bella wasted any time letting me know how stupid I was for not knowing it."

"You just got finished telling me how much the two of you cared about each other. You really think this is what Bella thinks of you?" his mother asked.

Edward simply shrugged his shoulders and avoided eye contact.

"Edward, this is what I meant about respecting yourself. If you never learn to respect yourself for who you are, you'll never be able to accept respect from anyone else."


	32. Chapter 32 Priceless

**Last chapters are so hard to write. I needed shoulders to lean on for this one, so thank you jjuliebee, jennday and tor, just for being tor.** **Hope you enjoy.**

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**The Tutor**

**Chapter 32 – Priceless**

"…Mr. and Mrs. Little…na-named…him…Stu-art, and Mr. Little ma-made him a tiny bed out of four cloth…cloths…close…clothespins and a…cigarette…box."

"Edward, you're doing a wonderful job!" Mrs. Roth, his literacy coach praised as she clasped her hands together in front of her.

The other literacy coach had referred the Cullens to Mrs. Roth a few weeks ago, stating that Edward was moving along at a moderate pace and no longer needed a specialist, but simply someone skilled in working with rudimentary readers. Apparently Mrs. Roth was that person.

"You know, _Stuart Little_ is my absolute favorite book of all time. My third grade teacher read it to my entire class and I immediately fell in love with reading and I've loved it ever since," Mrs. Roth prattled.

Edward nodded as if he was listening, but he absolutely was not. His mind was still reeling over the fact that Bella was off planning a future without him. And he knew that there was an entire year before she'd head off to college, but the fact that she could even think about leaving him behind, while he couldn't fathom a separation…it left him feeling emasculated and angry.

"So, is there anything _you'd_ like to read, Edward?" asked Mrs. Roth.

Of course, Edward shook his head that there wasn't.

"How about your science homework. Would you like to work on that?"

"Science? I thought you were here to help me with my reading," Edward reminded her in a casual tone.

"Well…you have to _read_ your homework to actually do it, don't you?"

As nice as she was, Edward just wanted Mrs. Roth gone. He couldn't concentrate on anything until he talked to Bella, and he was sure after he did, he'd be in even a worse frame of mind.

"I'm good," Edward stood up, signaling that he was done. Fortunately for him, Carlisle was busy attending to Maddie and wasn't around to monitor his session.

Mrs. Roth looked like she had additional commentary, but there was a knock at the front door and Edward all but ran to get it.

"Alice?"

"You motherfucker!" Alice shoved her way inside of the Cullen home and squared off with Edward.

"What the fuck?" Edward asked her when she pushed her tiny hand against his chest.

"I can't believe you would put Bella through all this bullshit just to get in her pants. How can you be such a calloused prick?" Alice asked.

Edward looked over Alice's shoulder and noticed his mother watching the exchange. She was approaching them, but her eyes were on Alice, and she didn't look happy.

"Alice," Esme said in an matronly whisper, "I'll thank you to watch your tone and your language in this house." She then turned to Edward. "Same goes for you."

Edward spun and walked towards the den, not even inviting Alice to follow him but knowing she would.

As soon as they were alone, without the watchful eyes of Esme, Edward turned on Alice with a vengeance he thought he'd lost.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" he sneered.

"I'm talking about the way you've been blowing her off ever since she spent the night with you."

"I'm not blowing her off," Edward answered in agitation. "Bella said I was blowing her off?"

"Well aren't you? You're not calling her back when she calls you or calling her at all, for that matter."

"Shit's been going on. She knows that."

"What kind of shit?" Alice looked like she didn't believe him.

"None of your fuckin' business," Edward told her quickly.

Alice balked at the sting of his comment, but before she could say something equally as chilling, Edward was speaking again.

"And when did you talk to her? Because I just talked to her this morning before her college thing."

"What college thing?" Alice asked.

"Those appointments you guys had afterschool."

"Bella had a doctor's appointment afterschool."

_A doctor's appointment? What the hell?_ Edward stared at Alice in silence for two blinks before he walked out of the den, this time gesturing for Alice to follow. She looked at him in confusion when he stood at the front door and opened it for her to leave. He noticed Mrs. Roth's car was missing and figured she'd finally taken the hint and left.

"What's going on?" Alice asked.

"Alice," Edward kept his eyes fixed outside as he spoke, "Jasper is like a brother to me and Bella is … well…I love her. And you obviously care about her, too, which is the only reason I didn't throw you out of here on your ass. But if you ever come to my house and talk to me again like you just did, I won't be so nice next time." Edward didn't give Alice another opportunity to speak before he shut the door in her face.

He whipped his phone out of his pocket and sent Bella a message:

COME OVR

********

The human race had come so far in their discoveries and inventions. Microwave ovens, espresso machines, personal computers, smartphones… so why were women still subjected to the flimsy, paper robe in the gynecologist's office?

A soft knock signaled the doctor's entrance, and Bella tensed when a tall, plump woman appeared before her. Bella tried futilely to be modest in the sheer vellum she wore.

"Hi, Bella. I'm Dr. Starns. Why don't you tell me a little bit about why you're here today."

Bella nodded. She hesitated in speaking as she considered asking the doctor if she could just read what Bella had written on the questionnaire. But when she saw the way the doctor was looking at her expectantly, she knew she'd have to speak up sooner or later.

"Um…well…I'm kind of wondering if some things that are happening to my body are…normal?"

"Alright. Tell me about it." Dr. Starns voice was full and confident in comparison to Bella's. "From what it says here, you've just experienced sexual intercourse for the first time?"

Bella nodded. "Everyone says it hurts. But I didn't expect it to hurt that bad."

"Can you explain the pain to me?"

"Burning…I don't know. It just hurts."

"Still?"

"Not so much now. Like, it doesn't burn when I go to the bathroom anymore, but for the first couple days, it did."

"And you said you bled. How long did that last?"

"Two days. Is that normal?"

Dr. Starns nodded. "It can be." She turned to the sink behind her and began washing her hands before slipping on a pair of latex-free gloves.

"Just lie back, Bella and stick your feet up here," she indicated to the stirrups. "I'll just examine you so that we can be sure everything is okay."

_Ugh. The stirrups. Another contraption time forgot._

Bella winced and reared her hips off the table as Dr. Starns poked and prodded within her. Her hands were cold and unfeeling – a staunch opposite of what it felt like to have Edward touching her.

But the discomfort was all worth it once the doctor assured her that she was fine.

"Really? There's nothing wrong?" Bella wanted to make sure.

"Nothing out of the ordinary. Your urine sample came back negative of any infection." Dr. Starns said, her gloves making a loud popping sound as she removed them. "The vaginal area was obviously stressed, but the human body is resilient and heals quickly, especially at your young age."

As Bella nodded her understanding, she wondered if that was Dr. Starns offhanded way of telling her that she was too young to have sex. _Whatever_. Bella was too relieved by her clean bill of health to care about the opinion of one person. She quickly listened to Dr. Starns' canned spiel on birth control and protection from STD's, in addition to accepting a pamphlet on unplanned pregnancies. As soon as Dr. Starns left the room for Bella to get dressed, she promptly deposited the pamphlet into the garbage can. The last thing she needed was her father to find _that._

Bella climbed back into her father's truck to find that her phone had fallen out of her backpack onto the front seat and was beeping due to a missed call. When she opened it, she saw that Edward had sent her a text message. She immediately smiled. She loved his texts and saved every one of them.

However, she remembered how they'd ended their morning together, and got slightly nervous at his simple request for her to 'come over'. To quell her fears, she quickly called him.

"Hey. I got your text. Do you want me to come over now?" she asked.

"Yeah," Edward answered in a clipped tone.

"Okay," Bella fidgeted with her seatbelt. "Is something wrong?"

"I just think we need to talk."

"About what?"

"I don't want to talk about it over the phone."

Bella's heart seized with fear at his words. Desperation, humility and her strong feelings for the boy on the other end of the phone propelled the next words out of her mouth before she had a chance to think about them.

"Are you breaking up with me?"

"Damn, Bella!" Edward sucked a breath is sharply. "What the hell is going on? Why…how could you think that?"

"Well, you've been acting weird-"

"So have you."

"I have?"

"Just…come over. We need to get some shit hammered out."

********

Edward moved around his house nervously as he waited for Bella to arrive. He'd just found out that his father was bringing his sister home, so it might not have been the best day to have company, but whatever. He'd poked his head into the laundry room where his mother was putting away chemicals and told her that Bella was coming over in a bit.

"I think we're just gonna hang out on the back deck for a bit," Edward said.

"That's nice. It's finally not raining," Esme said. Edward could tell that she was preoccupied so he left her alone so as not to burden her.

Bella showed up looking anxious and beautiful at the same time. Edward quickly grabbed her hand and led her through the house and out onto the back deck. As soon as she was through the French doors, he pulled her into an embrace and held on tight. He felt her body relax as she returned the embrace.

"Did you send Alice over here to talk to me?" Edward asked.

"Alice? No," Bella quickly said, almost defensively. "Why? Did she come over here?"

"She sure did," Edward said with fake enthusiasm. "And she cussed me out in front of my mom and the reading tutor."

"Shit," Bella murmured as her teeth clamped down on her thumbnail nervously.

"What did you say to her about me?" Edward asked.

Bella avoided looking at Edward as she spoke. "I thought…well, I just said that you weren't returning my phone calls and then after this morning…you just seemed really pissed about nothing."

"How come you didn't talk to me?"

"You wouldn't talk to me!" Bella raised her voice without meaning to. "I asked you what was going on and you said nothing."

"Well you're not talking to me either."

Bella's guilt was evident as she began fiddling with her thumbs.

"Just tell me," Edward said quietly as he watched her.

"It's not really a big deal, Edward. I just didn't know how to tell you about it," Bella stole a glance at him. "It's really embarrassing."

"What's embarrassing? That you're going or that I'm not?" Edward looked confused.

The air was rich with tension as Bella looked like she was contemplating an answer. Then she frowned and looked at Edward for clarification, as if she'd only just heard what he'd actually said.

"What?" she asked. "I don't get it."

"You said you're embarrassed. Is it because you're going to college and I'm not?"

"You're not going to college?"

"Bella you know I fuckin' hate school. Why would I go to college?" Edward asked her as if it was the most obvious question in the world.

How the conversation had gotten on to college was beyond Bella. It was a topic that she hadn't given much thought to, aside from the few pieces of information she'd picked up from the recruiters.

"Edward, I'm confused. Why are we talking about college?" Bella asked.

"You're going, aren't you?" he asked.

"Well…yeah, I guess. I mean, I don't know what for yet, but yeah. I'll go. But what's that got to do with you?"

"What's that got to do with me?" Now it was Edward's turn to raise his voice. "Where the fuck do you think I'm going to be while you're in Massachusetts or wherever the hell that place is."

"You're swearing at me again," Bella reminded him, her tone warning. She hated that they seemed on the brink of an argument and she didn't even know what it was about. Quickly she tried to end it before it even started.

"Edward, I don't care if you don't go to college," she said.

"I know you don't care. That's the problem."

"So wait…you _want_ me to want you to go to college?" Bella asked in frustration.

Edward stepped closer to Bella and put his arms on her forearms. He knew Bella's misunderstanding was his own doing, as he was putting off the inevitable for as long as he possibly could. He just didn't want to hear her say it. But this conversation couldn't go on much longer. It was giving him a headache.

"Are you leaving? After you graduate are you planning on moving away?" Edward asked.

Bella blanched, not expecting that question at all. "I don't know. It depends on where I go to school."

"And if you get into one of those fancy schools, where will that leave us?" Edward emphasized his question with his eyes.

Edward felt Bella's arms remove themselves from beneath his hands as she reached for his hands and grasped them tightly.

"Is that what this is about? You're scared that I'm going to go off to college and leave you?" she asked incredulously.

"I'm not scared…" Edward didn't bother finishing the sentence. He knew Bella could see right through him.

And for the first time in his life, he didn't care.

"Edward, I haven't even thought about college, really. But when that time comes, I hope that you'll come with me."

"You know I can't."

Bella chuckled softly. "Edward, of the two of us, you're probably the one who's in the best position to go to college."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, for starters, you can afford it. I can't. And you have a job, something that you like. At least you know of an area you might like to study. Me? I have no clue."

"Yeah, but I can't –"

"Don't you dare say read, Edward." Bella looked into his eyes. "It's just harder for you. Like I can't do word problems in math. I won't be a math major and you probably don't want to major in English."

Edward sighed. "I just…don't want to go. I suck at school. Like that test we took in English. I studied more for that thing than anything else and I got a C minus. Like, almost a D. If my best is almost failing…"

"Well, I guess that's one way to look at it," Bella began nonchalantly. "Or, to use your words, if you can't even read, yet you can still pass a junior level English test, you must be some kind of genius."

Edward rolled his eyes playfully as he pulled Bella into an embrace. He kissed her gently at the spot her jaw and neck met. "I just…don't want to go to college, okay?" he whispered.

"Hey, if you're trying to get me to love you any less, it's not going to work," Bella whispered back.

Edward nuzzled his face into her hair and inhaled the scent of her as he slipped his hands into the back pocket of her jeans and pressed her body into his.

"I can't believe you thought I was blowing you off," he laughed.

"I can't believe you thought I was going to go off to college and leave you behind," Bella returned.

"I love you, Bella," Edward said lightly before following up his soft kiss with a deep, passionate one.

"Thank you for saying that," Bella said as she tightened her grip around his neck. "I really needed to hear it."

********

Jasper and Alice wandered through the local movie rental store like a couple that was comfortable and content with one another. Each time Alice picked up a video cover, Jasper would respond based upon the sounds she elicited, rather than the description of the movie.

"Awww…Jas, what about this-"

"Nope."

"But-"

"It'll make you cry and then all night I'll have to listen to you sniffle and try to keep you from wiping snot all over my shirt."

"Ooohh, what about this one?"

"It'll give you nightmares."

"So? I'm staying over tonight, right?"

"Can't. Parents are back in town."

"Then why are we wasting our time watching a movie? We should be hanging out in your room while we still can before your mom kicks me out. I know she doesn't like me."

"Speaking of moms, I heard you went off on Edward in front of his."

"Who told you that?"

"Edward. He sent me a text and told me to keep you away from his house."

Alice laughed. "Well how was I supposed to everything that was going on with him? You and Bella don't tell me shit. Anyway, I can't believe he told you that in a text message."

"_You_ can't believe it? I've known Edward for a long time and I've never seen that fucker write down anything. I thought he was illiterate."

Alice was in the midst of deep laughter when someone moved into her field of vision and called her name.

"Why, Alice. I haven't seen you in so long I'd almost forgotten what you looked like."

Alice turned abruptly to see Ms. Hale, Rosalie's mother standing next to a very uncomfortable looking Rosalie.

"Oh…hi Ms. Hale," Alice greeted. By comparison, Jasper didn't attempt to hide his disdain for the present company and openly scowled.

"It's a shame that you couldn't host Rosalie's birthday dinner this year, but I was sorry to hear about your aunt losing her home," Ms. Hale chattered as she tapped her supermarket brand nail tips against the movie case she was holding.

Alice glanced over in Rosalie's direction and narrowed her eyes. _You liar!_ Rosalie looked away in shame.

"Yeah, well…some things just weren't meant to be," Alice said cryptically.

"So what are you two renting?" Ms. Hale looked at the movie case Alice still held in her hands. "Maybe we could do an impromptu movie night or something."

"That's okay, Ms. Hale. I think Rosalie decided a little while ago that she doesn't like the same kind of movies as us," Jasper said venomously while glaring in Rosalie's direction.

"Oh…" Ms. Hale looked nervously between the two teens and her daughter, for the first time realizing that something was off.

"Besides, it's a school night," Alice added.

"You know, ever since Rosalie started homeschooling, I always forget what day of the week it is. Of course it's a school night," Ms. Hale let out a forced laugh. "Well, you all have a good night. Come on, Rosalie."

In her haste to escape the awkward situation, Rosalie bumped into Alice at her departure.

"Sorry," Rosalie murmured.

At that moment, each girl turned and looked at the other; their eyes meeting - one hoping the small apology was a possible beginning and the other one knowing it was a definite end.

********

Carlisle had finally gotten Maddie comfortable in her bedroom and was on his way down the stairs when he spied Edward and Bella on the back terrace through the living room windows. He slowed his pace as he watched the two teenagers in a loving embrace, fleetingly wondering if Edward had already forgotten the rules.

"Bella's here?" Carlisle asked unnecessarily when Esme crossed his path moments later. When she nodded, Carlisle held out his hand for her to take. "Let's go say hi."

"But, Maddie," Esme glanced towards the stairs.

Carlisle held up a baby monitor that was turned to the on position. "We'll only be a moment.

The last time Carlisle had seen Bella, he had promised her that they would have a talk. As soon as his eyes landed upon hers, he knew that she remembered that as well. Immediately she looked everywhere but at his and Esme's face, and the way her delicate hand clutched at Edward's revealed that she was nervous.

"It's nice out," Carlisle spoke to relieve the obvious tension.

"Yeah," Edward said as he eyed his parents warily, silently beseeching them not to embarrass him or Bella.

"So, what are you two up to, today? School let out early, right?" Carlisle continued.

Both Bella and Edward silently nodded.

"Your mom ordered that movie on-demand that you wanted to see. Maybe you guys could watch that in the den…with the door open, of course," Carlisle added. "Those are probably the same rules your dad has for you and Edward at your house, right Bella? No going behind closed doors?"

"Uh…ah, yeah. I-I think so." Bella looked as if she was praying for an earthquake to part the ground and swallow her whole.

"Bella, are you staying for dinner?" Esme asked, noticing her husband's awkward transition and trying diligently to rescue the moment.

"Um…"

"She can't." Edward interjected. "She's gonna run me up to Pipeline and back and then she has to get her dad's truck back to him."

"Why do you have to go to Pipeline?" Carlisle frowned.

"I need to take Brian the keys to my car. He's bringing it here tomorrow," Edward explained.

"Your car's done?" Bella asked excitedly, forgetting her near-death by humiliation.

"Yeah. And in a few weeks, I can finally drive you around," Edward said as if his parents were no longer present.

"Provided you get your license," Carlisle reiterated.

"He will," Bella said without taking her eyes of Edward.

"Ready?" Edward asked, although he was leading her towards the doors before she responded.

Carlisle and Esme watched them disappear into the house and out through the front door.

"Think I made my point?" Carlisle asked his wife.

Esme couldn't help but start laughing. "That was so embarrassing, Carlisle. I wanted to blush for her."

"Yeah, but I had to say something. I'd already let too much time go by. And it could have been much worse."

"Yeah. You could have brought out your medical journals and showed them, pictorially, exactly what type of behavior you don't want occurring under your roof," Esme joked. "But, I think they got the message."

"Yeah, me, too."

Esme and Carlisle leaned against the railing of their deck and in a moment of silence, enjoyed the rare sun beaming across the Forks skyline.

"Do you think they're going to have sex?" Esme asked a few moments later.

"Oh yeah." Carlisle answered swiftly.

********

Bella rushed to get to the truck before Edward's father decided he had forgotten to say something and called them back for another moment of mortification.

"Okay that was… uncomfortable," Bella enunciated the last word. She climbed into the cab and unlocked the door for Edward to enter on the passenger side.

Edward laughed as he slid into his seat. "It could have been worse. Can you imagine what would have happened if you'd actually stayed for dinner?"

"Ugh, I don't want to think about it," Bella said as she started the engine and shifted the truck into gear. "And I must say, your lying skills are so good it's scary."

"What lying skills?" Edward asked.

"What you said about me taking you to Pipeline to drop off keys. How'd you come up with that so fast?"

"It wasn't a lie. I do need you to take me to Pipeline to so I can give my keys to Brian. Isn't that where we're going right now?"

"Yeah, but how did you know I'd be able to take you? I mean, as it is, my dad has no idea where I am, " Bella stated.

"I didn't know you'd be able to take me," Edward simply shrugged. "But I figured even if you couldn't, you'd pretend just to get away from my dad."

"You figured right," Bella nodded, finally allowing a stress-free chuckle to escape from her lips.

The sounds of the rubber tires wiping over the road and the finely tuned engine purring along filled the truck until Bella reached over and turned on the radio. She had just tuned it to a station that she liked when Edward reached up and turned the volume so low that it might as well have been off.

"Bella…what was up with the doctor? How come you didn't tell me?" Edward asked.

The quiet engulfed them as Bella drove along the steel-gray road. She considered her answer and the feelings that lay beneath them – feelings that revealed emotions she'd rather not share. But then she thought about Edward, and how he felt about being left behind when she went to college. His assumption was that her skills would cause her to look at him differently and so easily cast him aside when other options presented themselves. She couldn't fathom that he didn't understand how much he meant to her – that she didn't want to participate in a scenario that didn't have him in it.

But now, wasn't she doing the very same thing? Even when she hungrily ingested his words of love and attempted with all of her being to take them to heart, did she really trust him with her truth? With her insecurity?

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," Bella said quietly. "I kept telling myself that it wasn't a big deal…that you probably wouldn't want to know about it anyway."

"Well after I found out that it was actually a doctor's appointment, and not about some school out in bum-fuckin'-Egypt, it only seemed like a big deal because you didn't tell me about it."

"I'm sorry."

"You tell me when you go buy a hairbrush…shoelaces…hotdog buns. Why didn't you tell me about this?"

"Because." As Bella tried to formulate the words she next wanted to say, she was thankful for being able to avoid Edward's piercing gaze under the guise of needing to keep both eyes on the road. "I was scared you'd…never want to be with me again."

"Yeah…that's _not_ something you need to worry about," Edward assured her.

"I was also slightly concerned that I'd never want to be with you again, either," Bella confessed.

The drive to Pipeline was a short one and before Bella knew it, she was pulling into the parking lot. As she pulled the keys from the ignition and attempted to get out of the truck, Edward put his hand on her arm to still her.

"Was it that bad, Bella?" The look on his face was one of sincere concern.

_Of course not! It was beautiful and wonderful and everything I'd ever dreamed of._ That was what Bella wished she could say. But in all honesty?

"It _really _hurt, Edward." Bella quickly glanced over at him before looking away.

"I'm sorry I hurt you," Edward touched her shoulder, and then her face, willing her to look at him.

"I'm not," she returned, finally able to look him in the eye.

********

Brian was alone in the barely-lit body shop when Edward and Bella approached the locked door. Edward lifted his right hand to rap softly on the glass, while his left held Bella's hand firmly.

Brian looked up sharply, prepared to tell whomever it was to take heed of the sign on the door that had announced the shop was closing early that day. However, when he saw Edward, his demeanor instantly changed. His glower turned into a smile and he rushed from behind the counter to unlock the door.

"I told you I was bringing your car to you tomorrow. You didn't have to come visit her tonight," Brian grinned.

"You can't do anything without the keys," Edward said as he dangled the shiny pieces of metal before him.

"Are you kidding? I'm a car guy. I don't need keys to drive a car," Brian bragged, yet snagged the keys from Edward anyway.

"What are you doing?" Edward nodded towards the receipts and documents Brian had strewn all over the counter.

"Inventory. Worst part about being a business owner." Brian put the tiny slips of paper into an order that most likely he'd be the only one to understand.

"Can't you hire someone to do all of this for you?" Bella waved her hand over the clerical mess.

Brian looked over at her and winked. "Well, if I were as smart as you, I might have done something like that."

Bella looked down, not sure if he was making a joke at her expense or not. Edward took the reprieve in the conversation as an opportunity to direct a question at Brian.

"Um…did those…plates ever come in?" Edward asked mysteriously.

"Yep. Put 'em on this morning," Brian answered without taking his eyes off what he was doing. "Kiddos, it's been a long day with all this inventory malarkey. I'm gonna throw in the towel and get going. Edward, you wanna lock up?"

"Yeah, sure," Edward took the shop keys from Brian with the promise of handing the back when he dropped off his car the following day.

Bella walked over to where Edward's car was parked while Edward went to the front to lock the doors.

"Wow. It looks so…new," Bella said of Edward's newly restored vehicle.

"I still can't believe it's mine," Edward said.

Bella followed Edward quietly as he walked around the car searching for imperfections and finding none.

Bella stopped abruptly when they'd walked around to the rear of the vehicle.

"Oh cool, you got a personalized license plate," she pointed at the tag that displayed **MY2DOR** in bold blue paint.

"Yeah," Edward looking on sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"Oh, I get it," Bella said after silently reading it over and over for a few moments. "Because your car is a two-door. My two door."

"Well…sort of. I mean, yeah, it means that, to other people," Edward struggled with his words. "But for you and me, it kind of…means something else."

Bella went back to reading the license plate, feverishly trying to decipher its hidden meaning.

Suddenly a conception came to mind and when she looked up to see the intense way Edward was watching her, it was confirmed.

"My…_tutor?_" she asked quietly.

Edward shrugged, not sure of Bella's acceptance of his grand gesture. "Brian said that since this is my first car, I should…like…name it or whatever. Like, something that signifies what was important in my life at the time that I had it."

"Oh…and your tutoring…that is pretty important," Bella said, refusing to acknowledge that this was for _her_ and not a learning concept.

"Not the tutoring, Bella. _My_ tutor. You," he added as he stepped closer and took her hand. "If it wasn't for that stupid English class and the tutoring, we never would have happened. And you're like…so…there for me_,_" he grasped to find the words to explain how he felt. "You're…the first…the only girl I've ever been in love with."

Bella just stared for a long while, her eyes alternating between the license plate and Edward's face. She kept opening her mouth as if she were going to speak, but then closing it when nothing came out.

"I don't even know what to say," she finally managed as her eyes began to well up with unshed tears.

"I mean…I guess it's kind of cheesy, now that I think about it," Edward second-guessed himself.

"Oh, it's cheesy alright," she laughed through happy tears. "But it's also perfect. I love it…and I love you."

Bella stood on the tip of her toes as she threw her arms around Edward and kissed him passionately.

Loving fingers through tousled hair, fervent lips on pulsating napes, and breathless whispers against expectant ears – it was a silent communication that spoke thunderously of their admiration for one another.

Their emotions screamed for physical manifestations as hands roved over backs, thighs and hips. But as Edward unconsciously pressed into Bella, he could feel her trepidation, so he backed off slightly.

And was therefore shocked at the next words out of her mouth.

"Can we get in the car?" she asked.

Instead of stand there and dissect the meaning of her words, Edward quickly opened the door of his car and slid into the backseat, pulling Bella in behind him.

The mid-morning sun transformed into late afternoon light as Bella lay tangled against Edward in the back of his car, paying no mind to borrowed trucks, house rules or ambling pedestrians on endless sidewalks. As her lips connected repeatedly with his, she only took note of her body's burning desire to have more and to give more.

His fingers against the soft flesh of her abdomen were not enough. She wanted more.

The sucking tug of his lips against her neck was not enough. She wanted more.

The definition of his lust for her as his erection strained against her through his pants was not enough. She wanted more.

"I don't want to hurt you," Edward sighed against her as her groping clearly communicated her wants.

"Then don't," Bella's words escaped in her exhale.

Slowly Edward slid down to a reclining position and pulled Bella down on top of him. It took no time for him to give in to her, because even though she'd made it clear what she wanted, Edward couldn't pretend that her desires didn't mirror his own.

"Does that hurt?" he questioned softly as his fingers grazed the delicate flesh between her legs.

"Uh-uh," she murmured as she pushed against him, wanting more friction to quell her fire.

One finger became two and two became three. Each time, Edward surveyed the effect. Each time she told him she was fine.

"Bella," Edward punctuated her name with the gentle nip of his teeth against her earlobe. "Tell me if I hurt you." At the close of his words, he slid a fourth finger inside of her.

"Don't stop," she begged him.

And he didn't.

The vinyl interior moaned along with them as Bella and Edward gave in to their yearning; the aroma of rapid breathing and grinding hips filling the car as intimacy gave way to ecstasy.

********

The next day, Carlisle and Esme stood in their driveway with Edward and Jasper as they ooh'd and aahh'd over the car that had been delivered earlier in the afternoon.

"I can't believe how flawless it looks," Jasper said as he eyed every inch of the vehicle.

"I know," Carlisle said with a twinkle in his eye as he glanced over at Edward. "Completely restored."

"Pipeline does good work," Edward said, clearing his throat.

"From what I hear, so do you," Esme gushed.

Alice and Bella drove up in Alice's car at that moment and Edward was thankful for the distraction. Though he appreciated the roundabout way his parents were complimenting him, he feared they were pouring it on a little thick in front of his friends.

The four teenagers huddled around the vehicle, testing out speakers, comparing trunk space and legroom and revving engines. Carlisle listened to their idle chatter and put his foot down when there was talk of racing and one-uping the other on the road.

Soon, the katydids came out to sing and Esme excused herself to go look after Maddie. Carlisle turned on the outside lights before taking a seat on the front step while Edward and his friends interacted and enjoyed one another's company. It was the first time he'd ever seen Edward jovial, carefree and confident, amongst his peers, and he didn't want to miss a single moment of it.

"What's your license plate say?" Alice's high-pitched voice cut through the near-dark evening.

"It's a hot-rod thing," Jasper spoke up before Edward could. "The two door model is worth more - more valuable."

"Ooohh," Alice nodded as if she'd been allowed to look at the answer key to an elusive problem.

Edward smiled as he looked down at Bella, a silent communication passing between them that they new the true meaning of plates, and its true value: priceless.


	33. Epilogue

**The Tutor **

**Epilogue – Thirteen Months Later**

Bella hung back and watched the emotional moment as it unfolded before her. It wasn't unique by any standards. All around, mother and daughters, fathers and sons were embracing, and celebrating an American rite of passage. But four people knew the extreme significance of that passage for one particular Forks High School senior.

Feeling like an uninvited spectator, Bella watched a sobbing Esme cling to Edward, while over and over telling him that she'd never lost faith in him and that she knew he could do it. When Carlisle stepped forward with tearful eyes to shake his son's hand, before grabbing him and pulling him into a firm embrace, Bella swiped at the tears that had begun to form in her own eyes. Slowly, she turned away to grant the Cullens this private moment of accomplishment. She and Edward would celebrate later; right now, it was their time.

As she sought to distance herself, Bella noticed Jasper and Alice a few feet away. In slack-jawed awe, Bella watched as Jasper's mother released her son before turning to hold Alice in a congratulatory embrace. Alice's face registered shock for a moment, but then she quickly recovered and returned the motion.

Bella noticed the buoyant exuberance in Alice's eyes dull as something in the distance caught her eye. Bella turned to see that Rosalie was sitting in the bleachers watching the festivities, having chosen not to graduate with her class.

"Maybe you should go talk to her," Bella walked up, unnoticed by Alice until she was directly in front of her.

Alice shook her head slowly, the expression on her face not really matching the emotion contained in her eyes. "You know…" Alice shook her head as if she were abandoning a previous train of thought. "My dad used to always eat this dessert called a moon pie. Have you ever heard of those?" When Bella indicated that she hadn't, Alice continued. "They're made with chocolate, graham crackers and marshmallows. Anyway, I'm allergic to graham crackers, but every once in awhile I'd want a moon pie so bad that I'd go snag one from the pantry and eat it. Then I'd spend the rest of the night running from my bed to the bathroom, sicker than a dog."

"They must have been really good," Bella said, confused amusement written all over her face.

"You know how little kids don't really understand that just because they crave something, that doesn't mean they should have it?" Alice met Bella's gaze then, and her expression finally matched the emotion she was giving off. "I'm all grown up now, Bella – I'm an adult. And I can't keep giving in to something that is so bad for me, even if I crave it every once in awhile. You know?"

Bella nodded her understanding. "Yeah." And when she turned to look at Rosalie again, she was met with an empty space where her presence had been.

A light wind changed direction, sending Bella's hair aimlessly into her field of vision. When she turned her head to clear it from her face, she noticed her parents; mother and father marching mercilessly through the crowd.

"That's my girl!" Renee yelled boisterously – giving all spectators their cue to realize that she was a caring and devoted mother.

Charlie quietly waited his turn as he watched his daughter and her mother interact in a way he was much too uncomfortable to engage in. Finally Bella stepped before him and he offered her a slight smile and an awkward pat on the back before he asked her the same question he'd been asking her for nearly a year.

"Are you sure about all this, Bells?"

Bella rolled her eyes and played her part in the charade. "Yes, Dad. I'm sure."

Renee, not really understanding that it was just their way of solidifying their impending goodbye, poked in on their moment and ruined it.

"Charlie, leave her alone. Of course she's sure. Bella's no dummy," she smiled at Bella as if to say 'See? I'm on your side'.

During the summer vacation after their junior year, Edward and Bella had taken a road trip to the University of Washington's Bothell Campus. On the way, Edward dropped a car part off at a body shop in a neighboring town as a favor to Brian. While there, Edward met the shop owner, Daniel, who ran a very successful operation despite only being a few years older than Edward. The two of them struck up an easy conversation and from that moment on, Edward became enamored with the idea of having his own body shop.

Over the summer, Edward and Bella laid out a plan that would allow them both to pursue their goals and aspirations while staying together. Bella applied to and was accepted as an accounting major at the University of Washington Bothell and Edward petitioned Daniel (repeatedly) for a job in his body shop. When Daniel said that he didn't have anything open, Edward suggested an internship and got Brian to put in a good word for him. Brian had told Daniel that Edward was making him an offer that he shouldn't refuse; so Daniel didn't.

When Carlisle saw how serious Edward was about owning his own body shop, he didn't fill Edward's head with impractical information and false expectations. Instead, Carlisle made sure Edward knew how long it would take to garner the know-how to start a business of that caliber. After many hours, days and weeks of conversation, Edward slowly began to convince his father that he knew what was ahead of him. He kept saying that he was attending "the college of life" and that by the time Bella had graduated, he would probably be ready to manage someone else's shop, and then a few years later, venture out on his own.

So convinced was Carlisle, that he agreed to pay Edward's living expenses while he interned with Daniel in Woodinville on the one condition that Edward agreed to enroll in one class each semester at the local community college. At first, Edward was adamantly opposed, feeling that the time in school would deter from his main goal. But when Bella inconspicuously slipped a course catalog for Cascadia Community College into his room, Edward was amazed at the types of classes he could take – and possibly succeed in. After two weeks of saying no, Edward acquiesced and agreed to one class – three units – each semester.

The fanfare of the high school graduation was nearing its end and Bella looked over her shoulder to see the Cullens approaching. Behind them trailed a small entourage of people who'd come out to witness Edward's success: Brian, Miss Teale and Mrs. Roth.

Caught up in the moment, Edward pulled Bella into a hug, even though they'd done much more than that only hours before the graduation.

Carlisle and Esme beamed at Bella in pride as if she was their own and Maddie tried desperately to disengage the tassels from Edward and Bella's graduation caps.

"Edward."

Both Bella and Edward slightly started at the sound of Charlie's voice. Though he wore no expression on his face, they each looked down to see Charlie's hand extend towards Edward.

Immediately Edward accepted it and shook it firmly.

"Congratulations," Charlie genuinely offered.

Bella looked between the two most important men in her life and grinned like a five-year-old on Christmas morning.

To say that Edward's relationship with her father was strained was an understatement. After the "talking to" Charlie had given Edward early on in their relationship, Charlie had placed Edward on a probation that he clearly had no intention of giving Edward parole from. During the course of their relationship, each time Edward had made an error, whether it was bringing Bella home after curfew, honking the horn in the Swan's driveway or causing Bella to shed a single tear, Charlie didn't hesitate to yell out, "One more week," meaning an extension to the 'probation'.

But now, on their graduation day, that all seemed to be behind them as Charlie finally accepted the fact, hesitantly, that Edward was what Bella wanted. This was the man that his daughter was head-over-heels in love with, and it was quickly becoming apparent that that the only place he was going was wherever Bella went.

Though they didn't constantly bring it up in Charlie's presence, he was aware that Bella and Edward would be sharing a small apartment in Woodinville, near both colleges and the body shop Edward would be working in. The small apartment had one bedroom and a small office area, so Bella and Edward were only slightly stretching the truth when they said the apartment had more than one bedroom. Even though they were sure Charlie suspected they'd be sharing a room, they never clarified either way.

"You two headin' out tomorrow?" Charlie asked Edward, even though he knew the answer.

Bella had secured a part-time job as a bank teller at a local credit union and was due to start in a couple weeks. Since she wanted to be settled in prior to starting her job, it meant that she and Edward had to leave soon after graduation.

At least that was the story they were giving their parents. Really, they were just anxious to have a little time together before school and work became such a staple in their lives.

"Yep, we're taking off in the morning. Early," Edward reiterated.

"You got enough oil in that car of yours? Checked your fluids?" Charlie questioned.

"Sure do. Just tuned it up last week," Edward assured him. Thankfully, Brian had asked him the same questions constantly, having fallen in love with Edward's car. "I got new tires, too. So, we should be fine."

Charlie nodded. "Well…you take care of my baby. 'Cause if you don't…"

"I know. Probation," Edward smiled.

Edward walked over to Bella and the two walked, hand in hand, away from the hustle and bustle of the crowd.

"So…you're having dinner at your house with your parents?" Bella confirmed.

"Don't pretend like you don't know my mom is having a surprise party for me, Bella. I know you know," Edward smirked.

"Dangit!" Bella stomped her foot on the ground playfully. "I know. I'm a horrible liar."

"You are. Everything shows on your face. You're an open book," Edward laughed."Okay, then, so you know that I'm going to be at your house in about forty-five minutes." Bella laughed.

The two walked a few more yards in silence; except for the occasional congratulatory waves and glances they gave their now former classmates.

"What are you thinking about?" Edward asked as he cast a sideways glance in Bella's direction – a small smile dwelling upon his lips.

"At this time tomorrow, we're going to be in our own apartment…alone," Bella's face reddened, giving away her line of thought.

"Wow. It hasn't even been that long since the last time and you're already thinking about sex again."

"Edward!" Bella looked around quickly to make sure no one heard him. Then, when she was sure that no one was listening, she quirked an eyebrow at him coquettishly. "Well, you know what they say…practice makes perfect."

"Well, if you're looking for practice," Edward stopped mid-stride and faced Bella, wrapping both arms around her waist. "I know a great guy who'd be willing to tutor you."

"Too late," Bella smiled. "I already know him…he taught me everything I know."

**THE END**

l


	34. Chapter 34 Eight Years Later

The Tutor Eight Years Later…

Bella rubbed her temples in frustration as she sat across from an eight-year-old boy who, for the life of him, couldn't understand the concept she'd been trying to drill into him for the past forty-five minutes.

"Jeremy, why don't you try to sound out the words," Bella suggested for the umpteenth time.

"I can't. They're too big and I don't know what sounds to make," Jeremy protested.

"Jeremy, you know your letter sounds. Remember, I quizzed you on them on Monday. You passed with flying colors," Bella reminded him.

For years, Bella had been certain that she'd met the most stubborn male on the planet nine years ago, when she'd moved to Forks, WA and crossed paths with Edward Cullen. He was angry, terrifying and more beautiful than Lucifer himself.

And Bella had fallen madly in love with him almost instantly and remained under the spell of that emotion to that very day.

As if by some clairvoyant act, the object of Bella's affection entered through their front door at that exact moment.

"Edward!" Jeremy jumped up from the small kitchen table and ran to greet Edward. "What kind of cars did you fix today?"

Jeremy was the son of the facilities manager at one of the local electrical contracting companies. In his quest to win a contract to maintain their fleet, Edward had mentioned Bella, and her stellar tutoring skills in English and reading. Ron, the facilities manager, inquired as to whether or not Bella might be interested in tutoring Jeremy on a part time basis, just to get him up to speed in his third grade class.

Bella had balked at the idea of taking on additional responsibilities. She was in the Master's program to secure her MBA in accounting, and at the time it was only the middle of the semester. She also had to make sure the books were pristine at the body shop she co-owned with Edward, as the tax season was upon them and the last thing they needed was an audit.

On top of that, they'd only been in business one year. There was a lot to learn, a lot to pay, and a lot of hours to work. The long and short of it was that Bella was exhausted, and the last thing she needed was an additional responsibility.

But Edward was a natural businessman, and Bella had to agree that landing a contract to maintain a company's fleet was a smart move. And so she had agreed, albeit reluctantly, to take on tutoring Jeremy one day a week.

That one day turned into two and Bella quickly realized that she had become the babysitter of an obnoxious, obstinate, third-grade gearhead that thought Edward was the coolest thing since Eggo waffles. And though Edward had managed to secure the contract, their new business relationship made it difficult for her to quit helping. And boy did Jeremy need help.

"Jeremy, your mother is going to be here in a half an hour. We need to finish your reading homework," Bella coaxed.

"Aww," Jeremy whined. "I _hate_ reading."

Edward smirked and mussed Jeremy's hair. "You'd better hit the books. You don't want to be as dumb as me."

"You're not dumb," Jeremy argued. "Reading is. I don't need it if I'm going to work on cool cars all day, like you."

Edward and Bella exchanged looks. He smiled. She didn't.

"C'mere for a second, Jeremy," Edward gestured for the little boy to follow him into the living room.

Edward led Jeremy over to a bookcase, where he proceeded to remove what looked like a large picture book of classic cars. Jeremy's eager eyes widened with awe when Edward handed him the book.

"Go on, open it," Edward instructed.

Jeremy accepted the book like he was being given a pirate's treasure. However, upon opening it, his face fell in disappointment.

Edward smirked as Jeremy eyed page after page of written instruction.

"Classic cars are only cool when they're well taken care of, and if you can't read the instructions on how to do that, then you're fu…I mean, then all you have is a hunk of metal," Edward concluded. "So get in there and finish your homework."

Bella rolled her eyes as she listened in on Edward's little pep talk and his near slip into foul language. It wasn't that she disagreed with what he'd said, but she hated when he referred to himself as dumb. It was disheartening to know that though he had come so far, Edward could not see his successes through his failures.

"You insult him, just as much as you do yourself, we you say you're dumb," Bella told Edward soon after Jeremy's mother had (finally) come to retrieve him.

"How do you figure?" Edward huffed.

"Because you're his hero, Edward. And he wouldn't want to hear you insult Spiderman anymore than he'd want to hear you insult yourself," Bella explained. "Besides, it's not true."

"Whatever," Edward shrugged, but there was a small smirk on his face as he turned away from her and went toward the bedroom.

Sometimes Bella wondered if Edward insulted himself, just so he'd hear her argue on his behalf.

And she always did, argue on his behalf, that is. Because, truth be told, Edward was just as much her hero as he was Jeremy's.

"Oh, hey, my mom called. She wants to know if we plan on staying after the graduation. She's making dinner reservations and wants to know if she should include us or not," Edward mentioned after he suddenly reappeared dressed in a t-shirt and boxer shorts.

Maddie, Edward's younger sister, was finally graduating from the eighth grade, after a bout of illness had required her to miss a year of schooling. The Cullens were making a big deal of her accomplishment and had invited as many friends and family as possible to the event.

"Do you want to stay? We might as well. It's a long drive back and we're going to have to stop off and eat anyway," Bella answered her own question.

"We'll just play it by ear," Edward avoided a commitment. "Speaking of eat, what are we doing for dinner?"

Bella glanced toward the kitchen that she hadn't managed to step foot in since she'd gotten home from school.

"I don't know. What are you making?" she hinted. She was plumb tuckered and the last thing she wanted to think about was food.

Edward stared at her in frustration for a long while. "What's the matter with you?" he finally asked, knowing that he was most likely beginning an argument.

"Nothing," Bella snapped.

"Well why the hell couldn't you have called me to tell me you weren't cooking? I could've gotten something on the way home."

"Maybe because I was too busy tutoring that devil spawn that you saddled me with!" Bella stood up abruptly and knocked her chair over in the process. She didn't bother to set it upright as she all but ran out of the room toward the bedroom she shared with Edward.

It had been the third argument they'd had in as many days. Each time they ended as suddenly as they began, but Edward had yet to get to the bottom of what was bothering Bella.

At first, he'd assumed it was work. In addition to the body shop, Bella had recently taken on a client whose fiscal year ended in June. This meant that in addition to finals, she had to prepare quarterly reports and estimate taxes.

However when he'd questioned her about her workload, she'd told him that it was no big deal and that she wasn't stressed out about it.

Then, of course, there was the issue of money. For years, Bella and Edward had set aside most of their paycheck, after bills and expenses, to cover the cost of the body shop they knew they someday wanted to open. Well, when that day finally came, they signed their life away on the dotted line at the bank and plunked down nearly all of their savings into starting up B & E Body and Paint.

They'd deliberated on the name - a lot. Well, actually, that isn't true. Bella had picked the name Cullen Custom Body and Paint, and Edward had attempted to make other considerations that included Bella's name, but she would have none of it.

"This has been your dream for a long time. I want your name to be on the lips of people all over this town. You worked hard for this and I want to support you," Bella had said.

Edward had told her that she'd worked just as hard and that it was just as much her body shop as it was his. She'd told him no, because without Edward she wouldn't have even considered opening a body shop. Then she'd climbed between his legs, and right before taking him in her mouth, she'd looked up at him with bedroom eyes and asked him to please just name the body shop after himself. Though he'd thoroughly enjoyed her influential measures, he didn't relent. Instead, he came up with the name B & E Body and Paint, and told her that since the letter B came before C in the phone book, they would probably get more customers. Currently the only body shop in town was Carl's and Edward argued that if he went with his choice, he'd be the first body shop listed alphabetically. Bella had been so impressed with his business savvy, that she'd quickly agreed to go along with it.

So he'd gotten the body shop of his dreams and together he and Bella had gotten a buttload of debt. It meant that they still shared a small apartment instead of a house and though they both had their own cars, they were far from luxurious. Edward still had the Nova, but parked it at the shop, finally treating it like the showpiece it was.

Edward often wondered if Bella wanted more, but other than an occasional complaint that the bathroom was too small, she rarely said anything about it.

Lastly, there was Edward's favorite theory: that her temporary bouts of bitchiness were a strange type of foreplay.

It was true that when two people had been together for as long as he and Bella had been together, things became sort of predictable. That being said, he and Bella's sex life was anything but boring.

After eight years, they knew each other's preferences well. Edward never had to wonder if he was satisfying Bella, and she never failed to give him what he yearned for. And he would never stop yearning for her body.

Not that he'd had complaints before, but when the business startup and school began to take its toll on Bella, a classmate suggested she take up running. Bella agreed that she needed some type of outlet and had started running around the track at school. Soon she began running around the neighborhood and it quickly became a part of her daily routine. The result was more stamina and a very toned body. Edward appreciated both as often as he possibly could.

In that regard, his theory was slightly weakly supported. Bella didn't really need to pick a fight with him to have hot, make-up sex. But he theorized that maybe she was just trying something new – spicing things up more. And if it always resulted in hot make-up sex, he'd go along with it, as long as she didn't get too crazy.

Down the hall, Bella was just emerging from the shower. The day had left her tired and cranky. She could tell that she was short-tempered and emotional, but she couldn't control it. She decided to stay out of Edward's way – they'd had a fight everyday this week, thus far and she felt extremely guilty about that.

She knew it was her fault, especially since she couldn't articulate exactly what was bothering her.

With a sigh, Bella dressed in a tank top and a pair of bikini underwear before she plopped down on the bed. As she lay there, she listened to the sounds Edward made from the kitchen as he alternated between the refrigerator and the cabinets in search of something to eat.

While she listened, her eyes fell to the dresser and the numerous photographs that were lined up in front of the mirror. She smiled at the one of she and Edward at their senior prom, both flushed from the booze the limo driver didn't bother to remove from the rented vehicle. Her eyes passed over a framed shot of herself and Edward at their high school graduation before landing on a similar pose from her college graduation.

And then she froze on the group shot from Alice and Jasper's wedding.

It had been three years ago when Alice and Jasper had shown up on the porch of Edward and Bella's apartment and announced that they were going to the courthouse to get married and they wanted Edward and Bella to be their witnesses.

"My mother is driving me crazy trying to plan this huge, social affair," Alice had rolled her eyes. "So we're just going to elope."

"Your mom is going to have a coronary," Bella had said.

Alice didn't seem to care. She'd said she refused to lose the meaning of what she and Jasper were doing amidst dress fittings, cake samplings and hall touring.

"I swear, my mom doesn't even care if I'm happy or if I'm in love. All she wants is the perfect wedding. She even told me that if I start to have cold feet, I should still go through with the wedding and have it annulled later," Alice had said with wide eyes.

Bella chuckled at the memory. She also remembered that Alice had asked the million-dollar question. The question that everyone asked Bella and Edward the minute they had the opportunity:

"When are you going to get married?"

At first, it made Bella's parents nervous that she would enter into business with Edward without the benefit of matrimony, but when they saw that she was his business partner, legally, and not just relationally, they backed off.

Esme displayed the most disappointment. Whenever Bella and Edward nonchalantly stated that they didn't really see the need to get married, Esme would respond:

"Hogwash. There's more reason to get married than not to."

And then a debate would ensue, where neither party was able to lead the other over to their side.

Edward and Bella had a hard time communicating the fact that neither of them placed a great emphasis on marriage because it had never been an emphasis in their life. Edward's biological parents had no relationship he could remember, and though Carlisle and Esme were the epitome of perfect for married couples, Edward had been so old when he came to live with them that his idea of marriage had already been solidified by his earlier experiences.

The same was true for Bella. She saw more dysfunctional marriages than functional ones, and had never bought into the fairytale.

She and Edward just wanted to be with one another, and as long as they were, that was all they needed.

At least that was how Bella felt up until a week ago.

The doorknob of the bedroom door rattled and Bella closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep so she didn't have to face Edward just yet.

"I know you're not sleeping," Edward said as he crossed the room and entered the adjoining bathroom. The aroma of sweat mixed with tire rubber and oil followed after him.

Bella didn't bother to open her eyes to acknowledge him. She kept them closed as she listened to him start the shower and her pupils continued to dance beneath her eyelids as she conjured up the image of his naked body, scantly clad with soap suds and little else.

When he emerged from the shower minutes later, she was nearly panting for his touch, though she didn't let on, nor did she open her eyes.

She felt, rather than saw Edward slide onto the bed next to her, and the smell of his freshly washed body pummeled her senses.

"Hey," Edward put one hand on each side of her body and leaned down over her. "Look at me."

After a small show of hesitation, Bella turned over and looked up at Edward. When her eyes met his, her expression softened immediately.

"What's up?" he asked her softly as he hovered over her.

"Nothing," Bella shook her head. She began to stroke her fingers up and down the length of his forearm. "I'm just…I don't know."

"What?" Edward encouraged her to speak up. "Is it work? Because if you need an assistant or…"

"No, no. I'm fine. I can do it," Bella insisted.

"You seem pretty stressed out," Edward observed. "Last time you were like this it was because we were being audited. Are we being audited again?"

"No," Bella smiled, remembering how scared she'd been when they had to go before the tax representative. It had been such a waste of time only to find out that they owed an additional $110.

"So what is it? Why are you in such a bad mood?" Edward asked.

Bella exhaled stridently. "I'm just tired."

"Oh, well if you're tired," Edward made a move to back away from her.

"Oh no you don't," Bella's fingers left Edward's arm and her hand snaked around his waist and pulled him closer to her.

He leaned down and placed a kiss upon her lips.

In no time at all they were sharing deep, open-mouthed kisses like two horny teenagers in the back of an old pickup truck.

"I'm sorry I was such a bitch earlier," Bella whispered into the small space between her lips and his. "I love you."

"I love you, too, baby," Edward murmured in return as his teeth clamped down on Bella's bottom lip, and then seconds later on her neck.

Bella's free hand tugged at the damp towel wrapped around Edward's waist and exposed his body. She wrapped her hand around his girth just as he slipped his hand inside her panties and slid his finger along her slit.

"I've been dreaming about being with you all day," Edward sighed.

He wasn't the only one. Bella couldn't explain her sudden voracious sexual appetite, but she was glad Edward seemed more than willing to keep up with her.

Previously, three times a week was more than satisfactory and anything above that was more for Edward's libido than her own. But lately, she wanted him every day – sometimes multiple times. And the stronger her urges got, the more…irritated she became. It was a strange conundrum and Bella felt powerless to do anything about it.

But now was not the time to try and solve that riddle, because Edward had just removed her underwear, and when she spread her legs for him, he slid three fingers inside of her.

"Mmm, Edward," she moaned into his mouth.

Swiftly, Edward rolled her over and placed kisses down the length of her spine as he entered her from behind, quick and deep.

Bella felt consumed by Edward as she pressed back against him, willing him to go deeper and harder.

He pounded into her one time and when she responded positively, he did it again…and again.

"Fuck, yeah," he hissed as Bella's walls began to constrict around his cock. He didn't even need to ask if she was close – after eight years, he could read the signs of her body better than his own.

He watched as her fingers gripped tightly at the pillows above her; her back arched and dipped; her ankles wrapped around his shins and her body heaved with waves of aftershocks.

He splayed his fingers over her ass, rubbing at the soft skin there, before he pulled her back and held her hips firmly against his. He turned his face to the ceiling and inhaled deeply as the euphoria of his orgasm was upon him.

"I could come home to that everyday for the rest of my life, and it still wouldn't be enough," Edward said as he collapsed in satisfied exhaustion next to Bella.

"The rest of your life, hmm?" Bella's eyes landed, once again, on the photos on the dresser.

"Mm-hm," Edward mumbled as he drifted off to sleep.

******

In addition to their symbiotic humor, preference for bluesy-rock music and their love of all things salty, Edward and Bella also harbored similar feelings for the town of Forks. No matter how many times they visited there, it never quite felt like home, but the familiarity of it spoke to them like no other place on the planet.

"Where'd all these streetlights come from?" Edward remarked about the new additions to the Forks, Washington landscape.

"Like anyone comes out after dark in this town anyway," Bella muttered.

"We did," Edward looked over at her and raised his eyebrows. He laughed when Bella's cheeks colored. After all this time, and all that they'd experienced together, he still could make her blush.

When Edward pulled to a stop in the Cullen driveway, he noticed that his car was one of many.

"How many people are going to be here?" Bella put words to his thoughts. And then, "Is that my father's truck?"

"I'm sure my mother invited the entire town," Edward said as he climbed out of the vehicle.

Edward didn't bother to knock; he simply walked into the house and Bella followed after him.

"Mom?" he called.

"In here, sweetheart!" Esme's voice rang out from the kitchen.

The smell of the food Esme was cooking was overpowering and Bella's mouth began to water immediately.

"Who are all these people?" Edward asked as he stole an olive from a tray on the kitchen island.

Esme rolled her eyes. "Well, I admit that I invited a lot of people, but those people invited people, who invited people…needless to say, we're not going to be going out to dinner. I hope you don't mind Mom's down-home cookin'."

"Do you need any help?" Bella asked, taking in the massive pots and pans that adorned the stove.

"No, I'm just about done. I've been cooking all morning," Esme stole a glance at her watch. "We need to head over to the school. Your father is saving our seats," she told Edward.

At the mention of father, Bella went off to search for hers. She found him in the living room with Mr. Lorie, the retired mailman. She interrupted just as Mr. Lorie told Charlie about the prize winning bass he'd caught on a recent trip to San Francisco.

"Hi, Dad," Bella said as she came up behind him.

"Bella!" Charlie looked overjoyed to see her, and Bella wondered if it was because she hadn't been home in eight months or if Mr. Lorie's bragging was getting under his skin. "How are you?"

"I'm good," Bella patted Charlie's tummy. "And it looks like you are too."

"The diner's been good to me, what can I say," Charlie smiled.

"I say you take Sue up on her offer to teach you to cook so you can stop eating over at the diner every night." Bella worried about his eating habits more than she cared to admit.

Charlie shook his head. "I'm too old to start doing something new. Besides, I don't eat at the diner every night. Sometimes I come over here."

"That's right," Esme chimed in as she whisked by. "We get to see Charlie at least once a week. We're practicing being one big happy family in the event our children decide to get married and give us some grandkids."

"Mom," Edward frowned as he walked up and stood next to Bella. "Isn't it a little early to start on that?"

"It's never too early to talk about that," Esme smiled sweetly at her son.

Edward shook his head and held out his hand to Bella. "We'll meet you guys at the school. Ready, Bella?"

"Oh, can I catch a ride with you, two?" Esme asked as she untied the apron she wore and revealed a stunning light blue tailored dress. It accentuated the color of her hair perfectly.

"On one condition," Edward warned, "no marriage talk. It's never gonna happen."

Esme rolled her eyes. "Never say never, dear."

Before Edward could contest, Esme shouted over the dull hum of conversations and told everyone that they were taking off for the school.

"Have you been talking to my mom about marriage or something?" Edward whispered as he and Bella walked ahead of his mother to the car.

"No. Why?" Bella asked.

"Because she seems so sure of it. Like she knows it's going to happen or something. It's getting on my nerves."

Bella shrugged. "Just tell her to knock it off. She usually backs off when she knows you're serious about something."

"When have you ever known my mother to back off about anything?"

Bella laughed. "Well…maybe she thinks you're hurting my feelings or something."

"Nah," Edward negated. "She knows you feel the same way as I do about marriage." He paused to unlock Bella's door. "Which is cool, because a lot of the guys at work complain about their ladies trying to tie them down. I'm so glad I don't have to deal with that bullshit."

"Language," Esme said, making her presence known once she'd caught up to them.

The three of them settled into the car and Bella waved to her father as he drove off in front of them. It was the only movement she made for the entire car ride.

********

Carlisle hugged Bella as she passed him and took a seat to his right.

"How are you feeling, Bella?" he asked as she sat down. "You look a little pale."

"I thought the same thing…but I wasn't gonna say it," Charlie muttered as he gestured for Bella to scoot down one. He knew Edward would want to sit next to Bella and he preferred to sit next to his own daughter than the guy who stole her from him.

"I just think it was the travel. Motion sickness," Bella made a face. "I didn't take the Dramamine because I wouldn't have been able to focus on the graduation."

Carlisle nodded, but then his attention was drawn to a section to the left of the makeshift stage, where Maddie sat with her classmates, waiting to graduate. She waved when she saw her family and everyone waved back. Except Edward. He was too busy grimacing at the young, blonde-haired boy who was sitting much to close to his sister for his liking.

"Who the hell is that guy?" Edward asked his father.

"That would be Jack," Carlisle exhaled through his nose. "Don't say anything to her about him. I'm hoping he'll be history by the week's end."

"Whaddya mean, don't say anything? That guy looks like a jackass. You shouldn't let her be seen in public with that-"

"Edward!" Esme interrupted. "His parents are right over there," she whispered. "Besides, Jack is Maddie's first boyfriend, and she's so excited. And he's a nice boy."

"They all look like nice boys…at first," Edward added.

"You didn't," Charlie spoke up.

Edward glanced over at Bella's father and said nothing, but when Bella started laughing, he allowed a slow smile to grace his lips as well.

The ceremony was direct and succinct, for which Bella and Edward were not without gratitude. The hard, metal folding chairs were difficult to get comfortable in and Bella still hadn't recovered from smelling Esme's great cooking. She was starving. As soon as they made it back to the Cullen residence, Bella followed Esme into the kitchen under the guise of helping, but really she just wanted to do a little sampling.

While the other residents of Forks milled around the property, Edward and Carlisle snuck off to the garage for no other reason than to get away from everyone else.

"You two staying the night and heading back home tomorrow?" Carlisle asked after Edward and Bella's plans.

It was just under four hours to drive back home, but Edward and Bella had planned to keep their plans loose. If they were tired, they'd stay, otherwise, they planned to make the drive because they were much more comfortable in their own home.

"I don't really know. I left it up to Bella," Edward said. He knew that when his mother asked Bella the same question, she'd say that she'd left it up to him.

"How is Bella?" Carlisle said. From the way he asked, Edward could tell that he was trying to appear more casual than he actually felt. This alarmed Edward and suddenly he felt on edge.

"Why? What do you mean?" Edward asked.

"She just…doesn't look well," Carlisle said.

"Yeah, she doesn't travel well," Edward said. "She's tired."

"Just today or has she been tired at home as well?"

"You tryin' to give me a diagnosis or something?" Edward quirked an eyebrow in his father's direction.

Carlisle chuckled. Edward was always one to cut to the quick. "Sorry. Occupational hazard. I see it every day: the pallor of skin, the look of fatigue and general malaise…" When he saw the alarmed way Edward was looking at him, Carlisle moved to quickly dispel his son's fears. "Nothing serious. Just…wondering if you guys had some news."

"News?"

"Nothing…nevermind," Carlisle backed off. "It's just that Bella resembles a lot of my…pregnant patients."

"Bella's not pregnant," Edward said flatly.

"You sure?"

"Yep. She hasn't been throwing up or anything like that. Besides, she would have told me," Edward said.

Carlisle took in the way Edward offhandedly went through the tools that were laid out on the workbench. Each year a colleague or patient would get Carlisle a new wrench, screwdriver or tool set for Christmas, and each year they sat on the workbench, unused.

"Well, if she starts to get nauseated, has a voracious sexual appetite or starts to ask you for-"

"What did you say?" Edward cut his father off mid-sentence.

"What?"

"What do you mean by sexual appetite?" Edward whispered the last two words as if he were a sixth-grader asking a question from the back of his health class.

"For many women, an early pregnancy symptom is that they notice an increase in their sex drive."

Edward stared off into space for a long while before adamantly shaking his head. "No. She's not," he reiterated. She would have told me."

But that confidence didn't stop him from eyeing every little thing Bella did the moment they reunited at the dinner table.

She passed on the summer squash, buttered her bread, nibbled on her salad and chose chicken instead of ham.

"Something wrong with pork?" Edward leaned over and asked.

"No, I just…the salad is chicken Caesar. I didn't want to mix the meat," Bella whispered back. "I'm sure it's good, though. You should have some."

_Okay, well, that was normal enough._

Uninhibited dinner conversation ensued. Everyone congratulated Maddie on a job well done and she, in turn accepted their well wishes and gifts with a hint of forced modesty. She was formal and polite with everyone present, except for Edward, with whom she entered into a teasing war almost immediately.

"Thanks for making my life that much harder. My math teacher remembered you," Maddie playfully gazed at him from across the table.

"Mrs. Yore? That lady loved me," Edward gloated.

"She loved you when you were absent," Maddie said. "Which apparently was often. Did you know you hold the record for the student who missed the most days of school and still managed to graduate?"

"What?" Esme looked between Edward and Maddie with concern.

"She's delusional," Edward said. "Probably as a result of the fumes being emitted from her boyfriend's pores."

"Ha ha," Maddie frowned; then upon remembering an earlier complaint, he turned to her father, "Dad, Edward told Jack that Bella was his parole officer."

Bella stifled her laughter, as did Carlisle and Esme.

"Sweetie, I'm sure Jack knew Edward was teasing," Carlisle placated her.

"Although I guess it gets old introducing her as your girlfriend after…what's it been? Ten years?" Maddie asked.

"Maddie," Edward's voice held a cautionary tone.

"Seriously, how come you guys won't get married?" Maddie pried.

"Seriously, how come you can't mind your own business?"

"Not being able to call Bella my sister-in-law is my own business," Maddie said.

Edward looked over at his parents as an encouragement for them to get involved and shut their daughter up, but they seemed to be equally interested in what Edward had to say.

"Marriage is a choice, and I choose not to get married," Edward said. "I see no point to it."

"What, are you afraid you're going to stop loving her or something?" Maddie pointed to Bella.

"Maddie, that's enough," Carlisle said.

"You think?" Edward turned to his father incredulously. _Oh now you shut her down?_

Edward looked over at Bella for an ally in all of the nonsense and was surprised to find her eyes downcast, staring at her plate. He looked over at his parents and saw that they'd noticed it to.

"Esme, thank you for dinner. It was lovely," Bella said quietly as she gathered up her dishes and headed for the kitchen.

Edward waited the appropriate amount of time for everyone else to strike up conversations and forget about what had just been said – enough time for him to get up to find Bella without it looking like he was getting up to find Bella.

It took less than a minute to find her in his childhood bedroom. Though it looked nearly the same, Esme had converted it to a guest room.

"There you are," he said when he'd caught up to her. "Way to leave me high and dry in there. What the hell was that all about?" Edward asked.

"Oh, you know. Same argument, different day," Bella waved it off.

"Yeah…except this time it kinda seemed like it was _my_ argument and not ours. And then I look across the table and your dad is fuckin' giving me the stink eye like I'm saying his daughter isn't good enough for me or something."

"My dad always looks at you like that," Bella said evasively.

"What's up, babe?" Edward took a step closer to Bella and attempted to put his arm around her. She skirted around him and took a seat on the bed.

"I'm just, kind of tired. Mind if I lay down for a bit before we hit the road?" Bella laid down, not really giving him the option of saying no.

Since his conversation with his father, Edward began to look at Bella through new eyes. And if he was being honest, she did look a little green around the gills. She had bags under her eyes, despite the daily naps she took. And on the trip down, she constantly put crackers, potato chips or gingersnap cookies in her mouth. She'd told him that she was getting carsick and it helped, but now he wasn't so sure.

"Bella…do you have something to tell me?" Edward asked.

"What do you mean?" she kept her eyes closed as she spoke.

"Well…I was talking to my dad and he asked me if you were…" Edward watched Bella carefully as he uttered the next word, "pregnant."

Her face would break into a huge smile as she laughed at the absurdity of the idea of her being pregnant. Her and _Edward – _parents?

She'd sit up and demand to know why Carlisle would ask such a thing. She'd question Edward relentlessly about whether or not he thought she'd gained weight.

And then she'd probably make a joke about practicing their baby-making routine before pulling him down on the bed with her.

Those are the things the Bella Swan he knew and loved would do if she were _not_ pregnant.

But she did none of those things.

Instead, she remained horizontal on the bed, still and quiet. But after a few seconds, rogue tears slipped beneath her closed eyelids.

"Bella," Edward gasped. He was beside her on the bed in mere seconds. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I…I have a doctor's appointment next week. I was going to wait until they confirmed everything before I worried you," Bella said.

"So you've been worrying about it by yourself for…how long?" Edward asked.

"A while," Bella confirmed.

"You should have told me," Edward said. He couldn't sort through his feelings. All at once he was angry, sad, excited, confused and terrified.

"I wanted to be sure and … I was scared," Bella confessed.

"Scared of what?" Edward searched her face for an answer. "Scared of what?"

"I don't know!"

"That's not true. You _do _know."

Bella nervously clasped and unclasped her fingers in her lap. "I was afraid that if this wasn't what you wanted that you'd…"

"You know I wouldn't leave you, Bella," Edward told her. His tone wavered between insistence and empathy.

"Yes, I know you wouldn't…but I don't know that you wouldn't want to."

Just then there was a knock at the door and Esme appeared in the doorway, with Charlie hovering just behind her.

"Everything okay?" Esme asked.

"Yeah, everything's fine," Edward nodded. "Uh, but we have to take off. We…just found out we have some business to take care of."

*******

Three hours and fifty minutes. That was the distance, in time, between Forks and Woodinville. And for the entirety of the ride, Edward and Bella laid everything out in the open. Edward spoke of his exasperation at Bella's mood swings, which he was now happy to attribute to the pregnancy and not her dissatisfaction with him.

Bella disclosed her feelings of discontent with how much debt they had and how little equity they had in life. She opened up about her insecurity over knowing that Edward loved the nickname he'd been given at the shop, "Freebird", because he was his own man and he answered to no one.

"Actually, Bella, it's a joke. It's kind of a play on terms. Your last name…Swan – bird; and when it comes to you, they know I'm anything but free. I work in a place where people share Playboy magazines over lunch…and I tell 'em I'm not really interested. They say I'm whipped. They laugh. That's why they call me Freebird," Edward explained.

"Oh," Bella laughed. "I never knew that…and don't even try to convince me that you don't look at those centerfolds."

"I never said I didn't look…I just said it's not really what I'm into. I don't need it," Edward reached over and put his hand on Bella's knee. "You keep me more than satisfied."

Just as they entered the city limits of Kingston, silence fell upon the car as Bella contemplated bringing up the subject that she'd been thinking of all week long.

"Edward?"

"Mmm?"

"Uh…I have a … concern."

"Another one?" he peeked over at her.

"Well…you know how when we signed all those documents for the business and the attorney said we should register as domestic partners?"

"Yeah," Edward scoffed. "If we're gonna do that, we might as well get fuckin' married."

Bella turned and looked at him suddenly. "Okay."

"Okay? Okay, what?" Edward frowned.

"We can get married."

"You want to get _married?_" Edward turned off the radio that was playing low in the background. "Bella, what the hell is going on? One minute we agree that we don't need the whole marriage thing, and the next thing I know, not only are you not telling me we're having a kid, you're also taking back everything you've ever said about marriage and now…what gives?"

"It's less complicated…with the baby and everything. If anything happens to me or to you, if we were married, there would be no question about how things would play out…and…"

"And what?"

"When my mom got remarried, and she had a different last name than me, I _hated_ it. I felt like I didn't belong…like I was intruding. People asked us all the time how we were related and it used to make me so uncomfortable.

"I was so happy when I went to live with Charlie and people could automatically associate us as family because we had the same last name. I don't want to be there again. You and the baby with be Cullens…"

"So just change your name," Edward suggested.

Bella sighed. "Yeah…yeah, I could do that…I guess."

Edward cast a glimpse at her out of the side of his eye, but he said nothing more on the subject.

*******

The first thing Edward and Bella had done when they'd returned to Woodinville was stop off at the drugstore and buy a pregnancy test. Since Bella had to use the restroom terribly bad, they didn't bother going all the way home before they used the test, though they did wait until they were in the privacy of their own vehicle to read the results.

"It's positive," Bella held up the test for Edward to see.

Edward couldn't help looking down at Bella's abdomen, half-expecting to see the evidence reflected there.

"Man…this is so weird…" Edward shook his head slowly. "Like…half of me is freaked out and the other half of me is…just like…this is so fuckin' cool."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah…yeah, it is."

Bella scooted closer to Edward and momentarily basked in the glow of the moment.

"So, uh…my dad said that your…uh, sex drive is due to your pregnancy," Edward hinted.

"Makes sense," Bella agreed.

"Is there anything we can do to make sure that doesn't disappear after the baby is born?" Edward asked.

Bella laughed. "I don't know about afterwards, but if you don't hurry up and get me home, I'm going to crawl into your lap right here under these neon lights."

It was a fourteen-minute drive, exactly, from the front door of their apartment to the drug store.

Bella and Edward were home and in bed in less than twelve.

*******

It had been three and a half weeks since the conversation that had cleared the air between them; they each knew where the other stood, and when she and Edward had gone to the doctor to confirm what they already knew, Bella no longer felt the weight of the world on her shoulders.

That lightness encapsulated her still, on a lovely Saturday morning when, instead of enjoying the bright blue sky outdoors, she sat at her kitchen table amidst a shoebox full of receipts, trying to make heads or tails of the books for the proprietor of the drycleaners down the street.

Outside, she heard the clamoring of numerous tools hitting the ground and then Edward's colorful language filling the air. Suddenly he came stomping through the front door, slamming it noisily behind him.

"Fuckin' shit…Bella, can you help me out a second?"

Bella looked up to see an extremely tense expression on his face. "What do you need?"

"I dropped a fuckin' part down between two pipes and my hand is too big to fit down there to get it. Your fingers are pretty small. Can you try to get it out for me?"

Bella rubbed her hand over her face and stood up from the table. She welcomed the change of scenery and her brain rejoiced at the temporary reprieve from number crunching.

Edward led her to the raised hood of his car and pointed to a short, stout tube that was protruding up from the engine compartment.

"It's not hot, is it?" Bella hesitated to insert her hand.

"After all this time and you don't trust me? You think I'd let you get hurt?" Edward asked.

The way he asked the question struck a chord with Bella and she immediately felt guilty. "No, I didn't mean…sometimes we forget things," she backpedaled.

"It's not hot," he restated.

Bella stuck her hand down in the tube. "What am I looking for?"

"A small hose clamp," Edward told her as he looked on.

Bella strained her fingers in the small space. "Hold on…I think I got it." She was able to get a grip on the small metal piece long enough to shimmy it up the pipe and grab it with her other hand. Proudly she held it out to Edward.

When he didn't take it, she looked to see if perhaps she had retrieved the wrong thing.

"Edward?" she asked curiously as she turned the piece over to get a better look at it.

"I'm not getting down on one knee," he told her.

Bella's eyes filled with tears as she looked at the diamond solitaire that sparkled in her hand.

"What would you have done if I couldn't get this out?" Bella asked suddenly.

Edward reached over and pulled the black pipe off the engine. It wasn't even attached.

Bella laughed. "Oh my…wow."

"So, are you gonna fuckin' marry me or what?"

"You know, when Baby Cullen comes, you're gonna have to watch your mouth," Bella reminded him.

"I think we should be those cool parents that let our kid swear," Edward suggested.

"It's only cool until they call us assholes or shitheads," Bella said.

"Now who needs to watch her mouth?"

"What can I say, you're a bad influence."

"And you're stalling."

Bella smiled before leaning in and giving Edward two soft kisses against his lips.

"Of course I'll fuckin' marry you."

* * *

_Merry Christmas! I hope you enjoyed a glimpse into the future with Tutorward and his Bella. Oh, and the law for State Registered Domestic Partnership in Washington state just went into effect on December 3, 2009, so it was not in effect during the setting of this one-shot. _


	35. Chapter 35 Eight Years, 8 Months Later

**Eight Years, Eight Months Later…**

"Oh, Eddie! You're so talented! My car has never run better! I owe you more than I could ever pay."

Edward smiled politely and led his overly flirtatious customer toward Manny, his cashier.

"Regular tune-up and an oil change," Edward told Manny as he placed the paperwork on the counter. Then he turned to his customer and courteously attempted to disengage. "Thanks, Stacey. Manny will take care of you from here and get your keys back to you."

"Well, if he's even half as good as you are, I'm sure I'll be in great hands," Stacey said, batting her eyelashes at Edward.

Edward was so uncomfortable, and Manny was so taken by Stacey's voluptuous curves and low-cut, tight fitting, V-neck shirt that they failed to see a very disgruntled, very pregnant woman leaning against the wall behind them, watching the nauseating display.

"Oh, Eddie, I almost forgot," Stacey reached out and grabbed Edward by the arm. "My friend is having one of those anti-Valentine's Day parties on Friday. It should be a lot of fun. Whaddya say? Wanna go?"

Edward paused, as if deliberating his answer. "What's an anti-Valentine's Day party?"

"You've never heard of those before?" Stacey's tinkling laugh dripped from her lips. "Instead of that whole Cupid and couples scene, everyone just comes and hangs out…sees what happens…"

"Well, since I'm a marri-"

"He's not single," the overly pregnant woman interrupted Edward as she pushed herself off the wall she was leaning on and walked over to the cashier counter.

"Oh…h-hey, Bella," Manny greeted nervously as his eyes volleyed between Edward and Stacey.

"Hi, Manny," Bella said without taking her eyes off Edward. Therefore, she couldn't see the way Stacey was looking her up and down.

"Hey, babe," Edward leaned over and gave Bella a kiss on the lips. Ready to take off?"

"If you're all done here," she said as she tossed an annoyed glance over her shoulder at Stacey.

Edward stifled a grin at Bella's show of jealousy. "Bella, this is Stacey Chiles. Stacey, this is my _wife_, Bella."

"Oh," Stacey forced a show of humiliation. "I didn't know you were married, Edward. You don't wear a wedding ring."

"Occupational hazard," Edward said as he held up his left hand to reveal the name 'Bella' tattooed on his ring finger. "Besides, I can't lose this."

"Huh. I didn't even notice that…" Stacey trailed off. She then turned her attention to Bella, or rather, Bella's belly. "Wow. So I guess this is yours, too, huh?" she gestured at the unborn.

Edward noticed the way Bella's ire was about to overcome her and he quickly shut down the interaction, let Manny know he'd be back in a few hours and then grabbed Bella's hand and led her out of the shop.

"Who does that bitch think she is?" Bella asked loudly once they were outside.

"Just a customer, baby," Edward said.

"She called me fat."

"She did not call you fat."

"_Wow!_" Bella mimicked Stacey. "That's how she said it when she looked at me. Like she couldn't believe I fit through the roll up door."

"Bella-"

"And what the fuck kind of person says, 'I guess this is yours' to a guy's pregnant wife? What the hell was that?"

"I think she was just embarrassed because she didn't have a chance in hell."

"A chance in hell of what?" Bella turned and looked at Edward as she plopped down in the passenger seat of their car and fastened her seatbelt.

Edward recognized that tone. Bella was on the warpath, and now that Stacey was out of her line of fire, she was going to zero in on the next available target: him.

"Competing with this very lovely, very beautiful, very sexy woman right here," Edward leaned in for a kiss.

"Don't patronize me, _Eddie_," Bella said as she moved away from him.

"Don't _what_?" he scowled. His patience with Bella's sensitivity was wearing thin.

"You're just saying what you think I want to hear."

"And that's bad because….?"

"Because you don't really feel that way," Bella huffed. "I know I'm huge, Edward. Here you are, getting better looking with every passing day, and I'm getting fatter and flabbier."

"You're not flabby," Edward said, his eyes on Bella's breasts. They were perhaps the biggest perk to pregnancy thus far. They were huge!

"So I'm just fat, then?" Bella asked him.

"Bella, you're going to have a baby, that's what you are," Edward sighed. "And I think that, and you, are beautiful. Now, if you don't believe me when I say that, that's on you, but I believe it and I mean it."

Edward shifted his car into reverse and prepared to move out of his parking spot. As he did so, Bella's warm hand came to rest atop his.

"I'm sorry. I'm a huge pain in the ass, aren't I?" she apologized.

"Yes. You are," Edward said right before leaning over and stealing the kiss she'd denied him earlier.

"I can't help it. The girls next door at the deli tell me all the horror stories about all the women who come in and ask them about the hottie at the auto shop."

"How do you know they're talking about me? Jason has girls falling all over him," Edward said of his second-in-command employee.

"They're talking about you. The girls wouldn't tell me about it if they weren't talking about you," Bella stated. "Besides, I'm not blind. I know you're attractive, Edward."

"And I know I'm happily married to someone that I find pretty damn attractive as well," Edward grinned as he attempted to steer the conversation in a new direction. "In fact, I plan to show you just how attracted I am to you as soon as we get home."

"Edward, we just had sex less than twelve hours ago," Bella reminded him.

"Yes, and in about two and half weeks from now I'm going to be cut off for a month so I'm stockin' up."

"Six weeks. The doctor said we can't have sex after the baby is born for six weeks," Bella corrected.

"I read on the Internet that people can have sex four weeks after the baby is born. Four weeks is a month, therefore, I'm going to be cut off for four weeks and four weeks only, thankyouverymuch."

"It doesn't matter what you read. It depends on what my doctor said."

"Well when's your next appointment? I'm gonna ask her myself."

Bella smiled as she ran her hands over her belly. The next week marked the beginning of her weekly visits to her doctor, a signal that her pregnancy was quickly coming to an end and then she and Edward would be parents.

It was a terrifying notion.

"My appointment is Thursday. You can't come because you gave Jason the day off. Remember?"

"Oh yeah," Edward said. He'd thought about asking Jason to take another day off instead, because he kind of wanted to go with Bella to her appointment. She'd mainly gone to all of the appointments by herself, and now, as things were getting closer to D-day, he wanted to have a few of his own questions answered, and if he was being honest, some fears calmed.

He knew that Bella was more concerned with the development of the baby and how 'it' was growing. An erratic heartbeat early in the second trimester had required Bella to have an ultrasound at sixteen weeks and it had been too early for the technician to tell them if they were having a boy or a girl. It also exhausted their allotted sonogram with their insurance company, which refused to pay for another ultrasound unless a complication required it.

So in addition to not knowing if he was having a son or a daughter, Edward didn't know if everything that had happened was supposed to happen. And though he could ask Bella what the doctor had said, certain topics were taboo – such as Bella's size.

Ever since Bella's pregnancy had been discovered, Edward had begun to take note of other pregnant women he'd seen around town, and none of the women he ever saw were as large as Bella. It wasn't that she was _fat_, as she liked to call herself. It was simply her belly. Round didn't even begin to explain it. Even from the back, the view of which hadn't changed much, the sides of the orb was visible, and from the front, Bella looked like she was about to fall forward from the weight.

Though he did his best not to make comments when she complained, secretly Edward was a bit concerned with how large Bella had gotten. But when he'd asked what her doctor had said about her growth, she'd only rattle off the foods she was encouraged not to eat.

"She treats me like I'm sitting on my duff eating cake all day," Bella had said one day of her doctor. "If I eat any more fruits and vegetables, I'm going to turn into one."

Edward knew this statement to be true. Bella was very careful with what she put in her mouth, and if he complained about her eating habits at all, it was when she didn't eat, even when she was hungry, because she feared that she was eating too much.

"Do you want me to reschedule?" Bella asked, returning Edward to their current conversation.

"Nah, that's alright. I'll try to move some things around," Edward said.

"Are you getting scared?" Bella asked in a quiet voice.

"Not scared. Just nervous," Edward downplayed his emotions. He was definitely scared. In a few weeks' time, someone was going to be depending on him and Bella for their very existence.

"Me too. I'm hoping that birthing class this weekend will make me feel a little better. It's hard not knowing what to expect."

Edward had forgotten all about the labor and delivery course at the hospital that Bella had signed up for. Hopefully that would answer all of his questions as well, and just like Bella, he hoped it would make him feel a little more confident for what was coming.

Once they were home, Edward hurried to Bella's side of the car to help her out before trailing her into their apartment. As soon as they were through the door, the aroma of chili greeted them.

"That smells so good," Edward said appreciatively.

"It's a crock pot recipe I got from your mother. She said it was one of your favorites."

Edward lifted the lid off the cooker and inhaled deeply. When he was satisfied from the smell, he returned the top and leaned over Bella flirtatiously. "It's okay, baby. You don't have to butter me up with my favorite foods. I'll still let you be on top later."

Bella pushed him away playfully and went to the cabinet to grab a can of steel cut oatmeal. While Edward would get to feast on a meal of spicy chili and cornbread, Bella planned to settle down with a bowl of oatmeal with a hint of maple syrup.

"Live a little," Edward told her when he saw her oatmeal. "You can't cook this delicious chili and then not eat any."

"It gives me heartburn that keeps me up all night."

Edward pointed his spoon at Bella. "I wouldn't mind if you stayed up all night. That'll give me lots of time to recharge."

Bella rolled her eyes at his innuendos, which were his way of really driving home the point that he wanted to have sex. However, despite her responses to the contrary, by the time they made it to bed that night, she was just as hot and bothered for him as he seemed to be for her.

She was nearly salivating as she watched his naked form kneel between her legs, his rock hard cock inching toward her. But after only seconds of contact, she stopped him.

"Ah! You're too deep," she winced.

"I'm not even halfway in," he told her. But it wasn't going to be enjoyable for him if it was painful for her, so he rolled her to the side and entered her from behind.

"Damn," Edward uttered in a harsh whisper. Either he was extremely horny, or Bella's pussy was warmer, slicker and tighter than usual. "Mmm…that feels so fuckin' good…" he murmured as he began to roll his hips with each thrust. He could feel Bella start to pull away from him, so he rested his hand on her hip to anchor her and maintain his rhythm.

"Shit," he swore when he began to feel her insides constrict around him. "Why haven't we done it this way more often?"

When Bella didn't respond, Edward leaned over and looked down to see if her euphoric bliss was so great that it rendered her speechless. But bliss was not the expression he saw blatant on her face.

With her eyes shut tight and her lips pressed firmly together Bella looked to be in the epitome of pain.

"Baby, you okay?" Edward asked, still moving against her, but with less vigor.

"Are you close?" she asked him through clenched teeth.

"Does it hurt?"

"I'm fine, but I'm done if you're holding off."

Edward hadn't been holding off, but he recognized that Bella hadn't given him a direct answer, which most likely meant that she was uncomfortable. So after lifting up Bella's shirt so he could get a birds-eye view of her tits, he grabbed a handful of the supple flesh and pumped his way across the finish line.

"Oh…_fuck!_" Edward gasped when he was done. "I can't live without that for a month," he panted.

Bella struggled to sit up and paused to catch her breath. "Can you help me up?" she asked, anxious to stand up so she could breathe again. The baby was pressing against her lungs and she was having a hard time taking a deep breath.

"What's the matter?" Edward asked when Bella leaned into him and rested her head against his chest.

"Just a little dizzy," Bella said. "I think I stood up too fast."

"Are you okay? Do I need to call someone? The doctor?"

Bella laughed and Edward grew indignant of her jeering. "Calm down, Edward. I'm fine. My center of gravity is off, that's all."

"Well, shit," Edward grumped, "you're acting like you can't even stand up straight. You've never done that before."

Bella kissed him on his chin and waddled off toward the kitchen in search of a late night snack. When she returned to the bedroom, Edward was sitting up, barely concealed by his boxer shorts, reading the latest issue of Park or Ride magazine.

"That reminds me, you still haven't told me if you like the name Parker," Bella said. They'd made it up to the letter 'p' in the book of baby names and so far all they'd done was decide on the names they didn't like.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Sounds like a rich kid's name."

Bella just shook her head and gave up. She'd learned early on in their discussion that it was useless to try to understand Edward's reasoning when it came to his dislike of certain names. He had a method that only he understood.

"Okay, well what about Penelope?"

Edward laid down the magazine and looked over at Bella like she was crazy. "Are you serious? You seriously like the name Penelope?"

"What's wrong with it?"

"Penelope Cullen?"

"Well…it's…cute…I guess."

"It's got four syllables. That's too many."

"I didn't know we were counting syllables."

"No on Penelope."

"Phoebe?"

"No. It reminds me of that airhead on that TV show you used to watch."

"Well then what? You're not helping me come up with any baby names, Edward."

"I need to see the kid first. I've not named a single thing in my life without seeing it first. Why should I start now?"

"This isn't a car or a pet hamster, Edward, and I think we should give some thought to what we're going to call our baby for the rest of his or her life. I, personally, would feel more comfortable if we had some idea of what we might pick."

"I read that a baby doesn't have to have a name until it's five years old."

"Oh would you stop looking up random shit on the Internet already!" Bella tossed a pillow at him and went into the living room to watch a movie. She was too tired to watch a program in its entirety, but the bed was too uncomfortable and she knew she'd be spending the night in her recliner anyway.

A program about a cannibalistic man hosting a dinner party was the only thing on television that didn't make her think of birth defects, stillborn babies and SIDS. After about fifteen minutes, she drifted off to sleep only to wake up three hours later when she dreamed that a crazy man had thrown her into a vat of boiling water in an attempt to serve her to a party of unsuspecting people.

"What the hell?" she asked aloud when she looked down and realized that she was wet. "Now I'm pissing myself?"

She struggled out of the chair and made it all the way to the bathroom before realization struck.

It wasn't urine on her pants.

"Edward!" she called frantically, suddenly very afraid. "Edward!"

"What?" his irritated, groggy voice called from the bedroom.

"My water broke!"

"Well…get another one and I'll fix it in the morning."

"Edward!"

"What the hell, Bella! I'm tryin' to sleep, here!"

"Edward, the baby's coming!"

There was the sound of blankets being tortured and then a definitive thud followed by a murderous, "Fuck!" Seconds later, Edward appeared in front of Bella rubbing his side and squinting from the brightness of the light.

"The baby's coming?" he asked.

"I think so," Bella nodded, a look of fright coloring her face. "My water broke."

"W-what does that mean?" Edward gestured wildly.

"It means we have to go to the hospital."

"Okay…um…shit…where the fuck are my pants…" Edward disappeared back in to the bedroom only to return and reach out for Bella, who hadn't moved an inch. "I'm sorry, babe, are you alright? Do you need me to do something? Are you in pain?"

"My stomach feels kind of tight, but other than that, I just need some dry pants and underwear."

Edward did his best to come up with something, but Bella ended up settling on a nightgown with leggings underneath.

They managed to remember Bella's bag, the camera and an outfit and blanket for the baby as they headed out the front door.

"Is this really happening?" Edward looked over at Bella with a look of sheer panic on his face.

"I-I think so," Bella stammered nervously. Suddenly a tightening grip seized her belly and she inhaled and exhaled deeply. "Yeah…yeah, I'm pretty sure it's happening."

Edward maneuvered the icy roads as fast as he could in the wintery conditions, all the while asking Bella if she was okay every few seconds.

"I'm good," she'd answer him quietly with no hint of the mocking sarcasm that had been present earlier in the day.

When they arrived at the hospital, Edward fled inside, telling Bella he'd be right back. He thought it was his job to check-in and then bring Bella inside, but the nurses on duty quickly scolded him and followed him out to the car with a wheelchair for Bella.

"Has labor started?" a young, male nurse asked Bella.

"My water broke…I think," Bella said quietly.

"Well let's get you inside and have a look," the nurse said.

"Who's having a look?" Edward asked as he eyed the nurse suspiciously. Was this guy just trying to see Bella's good and plentys?

The nurse simply cast an annoyed glance in Edward's direction and before Edward could respond, Bella stifled a yelp and began rubbing at her belly.

"What's wrong? What is it?" Edward asked her as he juggled all the things they'd need for their stay.

"I'd say that was most likely a contraction," the nurse smiled down at Bella.

She closed her eyes and let out a deep breath – hoping that that would be the worst of it.

Of course, it wasn't.

A part of Edward had thought that maybe Bella was simply overreacting, or that she'd eaten some of the forbidden chili and mistook a bad case of heartburn for labor. But when the nurse had crammed his nosy head between Bella's legs and pronounced that she was already dilated to seven centimeters and that she was going to have her baby that day, Edward kicked in to high-panic – so much so that the nurse threatened to put him in a room of his own.

"I already have two patients," he said of Bella and the baby. "I can't handle a third."

Bella saw Edward's patience wearing thin and she quickly gave him a task to complete. "Can you call my dad?" she asked.

Edward did as he was asked and after he'd alerted Charlie, he called his parents and Bella's mother, who wasn't prepared to come for a visit for two weeks.

"They're on their way," Edward said of Charlie and his parents. "Can I get you anything? Are you okay?"

But Bella didn't answer because a different nurse had come into the room to hook her up to a multitude of different machines and to check her vitals.

"Have you only had one ultrasound?" she frowned down at Bella's chart.

"Yeah. Why?" Bella was uptight with worry that something was going to go wrong.

"Oh nothing, Honey. You're fine and your doctor should be here soon. Lucky for you, she's on call tonight."

That news eased Bella's mind a bit. She'd been slightly worried that her doctor would be off when she went into labor and she'd get some stranger who knew nothing of her history.

"How ya doin'?" Edward asked for the millionth time.

Bella sighed as she reached up and lightly stroked his cheek. He was afraid, she could see it in his eyes and she knew a simple 'I'm fine' would not help him at all.

"I'm actually a bit anxious. I need something to take my mind off what's coming, you know?" Bella asked.

"Wanna play cards?" he asked.

Bella's eyes lit up at the prospect and Edward fished a deck out from Bella's overnight bag.

"Texas Holdem?" Edward suggested and Bella nodded.

The card game worked to keep Bella's mind focused off the pain until the contractions came so regularly and intensely that she couldn't concentrate any longer. Fortunately for Edward, his parents and sister arrived then and he was able to have someone nearby to ease his own case of nerves.

"You look beautiful," Esme told Bella after kissing and hugging her son. "I don't think it's fair for a woman to look as beautiful as you do when she's in transition."

Bella tried to smile at Esme's obvious exaggeration, but a transaction hit her then and it was so sharp and so painful that Bella cried out.

Edward felt completely useless as he stood wringing his hands, nearly turning in circles.

"Can't you give her something for the pain?" he yelled out the door toward the nurses sitting at the nurses' station.

"I feel like I can't breathe," Bella whispered to Edward with wide eyes.

"She can't breathe!" Edward started yelling to no one in particular. "Somebody help her! Where is the fuckin' doctor already?"

"Edward," Carlisle put a calm, reassuring hand on Edward's shoulder. "Calm down. Otherwise you're just going to get Bella more upset than she should be."

A beeping sound alarmed at that moment and a nurse fluttered in to see that Bella's blood pressure had elevated quite quickly.

"Feeling a little anxious, Mama?" she winked at Bella. "You're doing fine."

"I feel like I can't take a deep breath. Is that normal?" Bella asked, frightened.

The nurse was eyeing Bella's levels when Bella's doctor, Dr. Ramey, walked in the door.

"It's a beautiful day to have a baby, methinks!" she called cheerfully.

"Oh thank God you're here!" The nurse bolted over to her, then, catching her lack of professional decorum, smiled at Bella and then quickly muttered a few things to the doctor who was making her way to check Bella.

Whatever the nurse said to the doctor was enough to alert Carlisle, and his expression hardened as he crossed the room to get a look at the equipment Bella was hooked up to.

"It could be…" he muttered to himself before glancing in Bella's direction.

Feeling as if everyone was talking over his head, Edward was just about to shout his demand to know what the hell was going on when Dr. Ramey walked over to Bella's bedside and said with a grand smile, "Are you ready to do some pushing?"

Edward looked at Bella wearily, and when she nodded he felt his entire body grow heavy with the anticipation and ignorance of what lie ahead. Despite that, he held out his hand to Bella and she took hold of it, squeezing it once for the security it brought her.

Carlisle and Maddie went out in the hall to wait with Charlie, who poked his head in long enough for Bella to know that he'd arrived. Esme remained at Bella's request and Edward was calmed as much by her presence as Bella was.

At least until things got grueling.

With each push, Edward was sure that he couldn't withstand another one. Bella was openly crying now and he kept watching the doctor for some sort of signal that something was out of the ordinary, but she just kept cheering Bella on.

"The baby's crowning, Dad. Would you like to see?" Dr. Ramey asked Edward.

"Crowning? Is that good? Is that supposed to happen?" Edward looked between Esme and the doctor.

Dr. Ramey chuckled. "It means we can see the baby's head. C'mon. Have a look."

Edward moved down to the end of the bed and immediately wished he hadn't.

"Is there supposed to be that much blood?" he asked in horror.

"Edward, it's fine. This is all normal. Everything is going as expected," Esme said in a calming tone when she took in the chalky pallor of Edward's skin.

Bella endured a few more pushes before her son was freed from her womb at 7:04 a.m.

Esme immediately started celebrating when Edward cut the umbilical cord and Carlisle and Charlie moved in to catch the first glimpse of their grandson.

But Edward wasn't celebrating with them. He took one look at Bella and knew that something was not okay.

"Bella?" he rushed to her side. "Bella, you did it, Baby. You made it, Babe. He's great," Edward said, hoping for a response from Bella that would tell him she was alright.

He stood over her staring, willing her to smile or ask him if the baby had all his fingers and toes liked they'd planned, but Bella did nothing of the sort.

So focused was Edward on Bella that he didn't hear the bedlam going on around him. Shouts about heartbeats being in sync and the uterus contracting…still in labor…oxygen levels dropping…mother in distress…baby in distress…emergency…operating room…

Suddenly, medical staff was all over the place, moving machines and wheeling Bella out of the room.

"What's going on? What's happening?" Edward shouted as he moved after them.

"Sir, I need you to sign this," a nurse thrust a clipboard full of forms at Edward.

"Everything's fine, Mr. Cullen," Dr. Ramey began.

"Everything is _not_ fine!" Edward yelled. "If everything was fuckin' fine, my wife would be giving me shit about not picking a damn name for our son instead of laying unconscious in a fuckin' hospital bed!"

There was no time for Dr. Ramey to remain back and console Edward. Carlisle stepped up and restrained his hysterical son as Dr. Ramey disappeared through the swinging operating room doors.

"Why isn't anybody telling me shit?" Edward asked his father in an elevated voice. "Dad…"

Fear and fatigue took its toll then, and Edward crumpled against Carlisle like a little boy taking solace in his father's arms.

"It's okay, Edward," Carlisle soothed him. "Bella is going to be fine. The doctor is taking care of her first, and then we'll get updated on what's happened. Have faith, son. It'll all be fine."

"What if she's not?" Edward shouted through angry tears. "She is my whole world! What am I gonna do without her? I can't do this without her!"

Carlisle continued to encourage Edward until a nurse came down with the formal explanation of exactly what had gone wrong.

"Your wife is fine, Mr. Cullen," the nurse began when she took in Edward's appearance. "And so is your daughter."

Charlie had joined them in the corridor minutes before and Edward merely assumed the nurse was addressing him when she referenced a daughter.

But the nurse kept talking…

"The baby was lodged against Bella's rib cage…dislocated ribs…Bella went into shock…vitals are okay…baby girl with strong heartbeat…breathing fine….healthy…"

"Whoa, whoa, slow down," Edward rubbed his hands over his face as he tried to come to grips with what the nurse was trying to tell him. Dr. Ramey then walked up, much too chipper, in Edward's opinion, for the nightmare that he'd just gone through.

"What a surprise, huh?" she asked as she hugged him. "Twins!"

It appeared as though she was telling him, through her demeanor, that he should be happy, but how could he be happy when Bella was…where was Bella?

"My wife – where is she? How is she?" he asked.

"She's in recovery. Come on, I'll take you to her." Dr. Ramey filled Edward in as they walked. "She appears to be doing well. The anesthesia hasn't worn off completely, so she's still a little groggy, but she's asking for you."

At that information, Edward partially relaxed. He was glad to hear that Bella was asking for him, but he needed to see her with his own eyes to know for sure that everything was going to be okay.

The beeps and diagrams on the machines Bella was hooked up to seemed to indicate that she was, in fact, fine, but Edward just wanted to hear her voice. So badly he needed to hear her!

"Bella?" he leaned over the bed rails and whispered. "Bella, it's me, Sweetheart. I'm right here."

She stirred a little bit and her eyes fluttered but didn't open. "Edward?" she whispered.

"Right here, baby," Edward said eagerly as he touched her hand.

"Edward?" she whispered again, but then she was out – fast asleep.

"Is that supposed to happen?" Edward asked Dr. Ramey, who was fluttering around, making adjustments.

"Oh yes. She's just been through a very exhausting experience. Her body desperately needs the rest. She'll be fine, Hon," she said. "But in the meantime, there are two very important people who cannot wait to meet you."

'********'

It had been hours and still Edward felt as if his world had stopped the minute he caught sight of two little bundles that lay side-by-side in makeshift beds labeled "Baby Boy Cullen" and "Baby Girl Cullen".

For twins, they couldn't look less similar. Aside from their most obvious difference, their gender, everything else about them seemed to be opposites as well. Dark, spiky hair adorned the head of his son, where his daughter only had a light coating of what looked like strawberry-blonde fuzz accentuating her scalp. Edward recognized his own skin tone reflected back at him as he viewed his children, but with their eyes closed and their tiny mouths and noses snuggled against their blankets, that was the only similarity he could see.

Suddenly his son began to whimper and squirm.

"I think that's your cue, Daddy," said a nurse who had come into the room to check on the babies. She came over to where Edward was standing, lifted his son from his bed and handed him to Edward without waiting for permission.

It felt odd to experience such a momentous occasion, bonding with his children, without Bella present. And, at least on a subconscious level, Edward had been trying to avoid doing just that until she was out of recovery and back in her room. But now, alone, and without the fawning eyes of excited but loving family members, Edward took a seat, pulled back the blanket and took a long hard look at his baby boy. He looked at his small toes and knees, his lean legs, his smooth belly, his slender, long fingers, his tiny elbows and ears and finally, two ice-blue eyes that, staring back at him, pierced him to his very soul.

"Um…hey," Edward said softly, feeling extremely vulnerable under the intense gaze. "I don't know if I'm what you were expecting…but, here I am." Edward felt silly for his one-sided conversation, but something inside of him propelled him to keep going.

"One day, hopefully many years from now, you're probably gonna wish you could have a different dad – one who lets you stay up all night and watch TV or play video games, or lets you eat chocolate cake for breakfast; let's you dye your hair green and turn your stereo up as loud as it'll go; doesn't make you do your homework…well we're not compromising on that one. All that other stuff we can work out, but you aren't gonna mess up school. Not like I did. You're going to be smart and go to college and get a job doing anything in the world that you want to."

Baby Boy Cullen just blinked in response as Edward smoothed his hand over his son's head and held him just a little bit tighter. "And even if there is a day that you think you won't want me around, I'll still be there, because there isn't anything you can do that will ever make me give up on you. I mean, if _my_ dad could hang in there, then _we're_ definitely gonna be okay, because I don't think anyone was more difficult to raise than I was."

Edward heard a throat clearing and looked up to see his mother and father standing in the doorway, waiting for an appropriate time to interrupt.

"We thought you might want a little help," Esme smiled as she walked over to Edward. He handed over his son and moved quickly to his daughter, whom, because of the way she'd entered the world, he hadn't gotten to spend as much time with.

"And that goes ditto for you," Edward said as he lifted her from her bed and gazed into her deep brown eyes. "Oh, and you can't date…ever."

Charlie, unassuming as always, had slid into the room quietly and was standing behind Edward looking over his shoulder.

"Oh, sweet karma. I remember saying the same thing when Bells was born," he chortled softly. "Got my wish for a long time, too. Until, one day this young, foul-mouthed punk walked into her life and never walked out."

Edward looked up to see Charlie smiling down at him.

"And I won't walk out on her," Edward said solemnly. "Not for anything."

Just then there was a lot of noise at the entry of the room as Bella's bed was wheeled back into her room. She looked like she'd had a rough day of it, but her eyes were open and when they landed on Edward they filled up with tears of joy…

…as did his.

'********'

Edward held his just-fed son over his shoulder and patted the baby's back as Bella carefully placed their daughter against her chest to nurse.

"Is that painful?" Edward asked as he watched her try to get the hang of breastfeeding. Bella had turned forty shades of scarlet when a lactation consultant had tried to give her hands-on instruction for how to get the baby to latch on.

"Kinda," Bella answered. "And I'm afraid the pain meds they have me on are masking most of it. Who knows what it'll be like when I feel the full effect."

"Hopefully you'll be used to it by then," Edward said optimistically.

"Hopefully."

The room got very quiet then, and Bella watched her baby suckle in silence as her eyes watched over the perfection of the little baby who had taken her quite by surprise. She smiled at the softness of the newborn skin and looked over to see if Edward's face showed the joy and awe that she was sure hers did.

Yet Edward was not looking at the baby in his arms or the baby in her arms. His eyes were on Bella, and the expression on his face was one that she couldn't place.

"I love you," he told her insistently.

"I love you, too," she replied with an expression she reserved only for him.

"You scared me to death today," he whispered. "I thought I was losing you."

"Psshh, you think it'll be that easy to get rid of me?" Bella smiled at him.

"I'm serious, Bella. I can't…" Edward cleared his throat to conceal the way his voice broke. "I need you with me. Always."

"Good. Because I plan on being around for awhile," she laughed. She'd had a frightfully horrendous day, but she knew she didn't want to dwell on the negative side of things. For she sure that if she had the opportunity, she'd do it all over again if it meant that she got to have this moment with her husband and their two new additions.

"Well…I guess Baby Boy Cullen and Baby Girl Cullen isn't going to do for much longer. You've seen them. Have you come up with any names yet?" Bella asked.

Edward shook his head and resituated his son so that he could look upon his face. "I just know that I want their names to mean something. Like, your dad said your name means 'beautiful'. And she's beautiful," Edward nodded toward his daughter. "Just like her mom. What else mean's beautiful?"

Bella had no idea off the top of her head, but the 'Name Your Baby' book was tucked neatly in the side pocket of her overnight bag. Edward got up to lay his son in his bassinet and retrieve the book for Bella. She accepted it in exchange for her baby girl, who had finished eating and was now ready to be burped.

"What do you think of the name Edison?" Bella asked after a few moments of reading through the pages.

"For a girl?" Edward crinkled up his nose.

"No, silly. For a boy. Do you like it?"

"I don't know. What does it mean?"

Bella smiled. "Son of Edward."

Edward smiled, too, and even though he tried to hide it, Bella saw the pride still lingering on his face two hours later when they penned their children's names on the certificates of birth:

Edison Michael Cullen and Beau Elisabeth Cullen.

'*********'

Three weeks later, Bella and Edward still felt like they were flying by the seat of their pants with parenthood, even though the help in their house had basically been around the clock. Because of Bella's cesarean section, she wasn't able to lift or bend over and though Edward had a full week away from the shop, business and finances mandated that he return after six days.

Esme stayed with them for the first two weeks, until Renee was able to arrive. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending upon whether Bella or Edward was asked, Renee had no deadline on her visit and was able to stay as long as Bella needed her. On most days her help was gratefully appreciated, because even though they were very small, the Cullen twins were _a lot_ of work.

However, they were also a lot of fun and Bella and Edward enjoyed all the new opportunities for laughter their presence opened up. One day in particular, Edward came home with a pair of his and hers "Mute Button" pacifiers, which he promptly placed in Edison's mouth to stifle a bout of crying.

"How are you feeling?" Edward asked Bella later in the week when he found her sitting in their bed with the babies sleeping soundly in their seats beside her.

Edward closed the door and took a seat on his side of the bed. Renee had gone to town to do some shopping so it was the first time they'd had alone as a family since they'd brought the twins home from the hospital.

"I'm okay. Not as sore," Bella admitted.

"That's good," Edward enunciated through a yawn. "So what did you all do today?"

"Well, they ate, pooped, peed, cried and ate," Bella laughed. "And I fed, cleaned, cried and fed some more."

"And yet still your day sounds better than mine."

"Why? What happened?"

"Well, Jason didn't come in again today. His sister's boyfriend attacked her last night. She's in the hospital with broken ribs and a broken jaw, but she won't press charges."

Bella sighed and shook her head in dismay as she looked down at Beau. "I sure hope she has the good sense to fall in love with someone who's nice to her and treats her well."

"If she doesn't, he'll disappear in the middle of the night without a trace," Edward said with a vengeful expression on his face.

Bella smiled but didn't comment. She had a faraway look in her eyes, as if she were remembering something that happened long ago.

"I was always nice to you, right?" Edward asked, noticing Bella's distant gaze.

She couldn't help but laugh. "Sorry, I was just remembering how we met."

"Well, I know I was a jerk _then_, but afterwards…I was good to you, right?"

"After you settled down a bit, yes, you were great to me."

"Bella…I don't know if I ever told you…ya know…that I'm sorry for all that stuff and that if I could change—"

"Absolutely not," Bella said in a tone that only a mother could pull off. "_If_ you could change anything, I certainly wouldn't want you to. Everything that we've been through together has brought us to this exact point, and that is exactly where I want to be with you. Always."

Edward wove his fingers with Bella's before lifting her hand to his lips gently, silently thanking her for the words that gave him the strength and conviction of his value and worth. He knew, as she did, that he didn't graduate at the top of his class, nor did he know the difference between a stock and a bond, but none of that compared to what he did know and what he would know for the rest of his life: the honor of fatherhood and the love and friendship of a good and truly beautiful woman.

The End.


End file.
